Table of Contents
Lesson 1 – The Bible is God Speaking to Me I. The Inspiration of the Scriptures………….…………..…………….... 9 A. Inspiration Explained……….……………………………………9 B. Thousands of Prophecies Fulfilled……………………….………....11 C. Science Confirmed…………………………………….…….…..13 D. The Bible is God Breathed………………………………………. 15 E. The Bible is Without Errors………………………………….……15 II. The Origin and Canon of the Bible………………………...….……... 17 A. How the Bible Came to Us…………………………….………… 17 B. “Canon” Explained.…………………………..………………… 17 C. The Canonization of the Old Testament…………….……………… 17 D. The Canonization of the New Testament………….………………… 19 E. Bible Translations…………………………….…………………19 III. The Anatomy of the Bible………….……………………….……… 21 A. The Old and New Testaments………………………….………… 21 IV. Bible Devotions……………………………………………….…… 23 A. The Bible is Key to Spiritual Growth…………………….………… 23 B. Feeding on God’s Word……………………………….………… 25 C. By Grace through Faith……………………………….………… 27 D. The Word of Faith……………..…………………….………… 29 Review Questions- Lesson 1……………………..………………..33 Bonus: Faith Facts……………………………..……………… 35
Lesson 2 – Creation, The Fall & God’s Solution I. Who Am I……………………………..…………..……………... 37 A. The World before Ours: Pre-Adamite Creation………….…………… 37 B. The Beginning of Our Time: A New Creation…….……………..……39 C. The Anatomy of a Human Being………………..………………….41 II. Why Am I Here………………………..…………..…………….... 43 A. God’s Dream for Man………………………..…….…………… 43 B. The Garden of Eden……………………………………………. 45
Table of Contents
III. What In the World Happened……………..…………..……………... 47 A. To Obey or Not To Obey……………………..…….…………… 47 B. What did Adam & Eve’s Disobedience Mean for Mankind………….… 49 C. Man’s Hopeless Predicament…………………………………….. 53 IV. God’s Solution! The Promise of A Redeemer…………………….…..… 55 Review Questions- Lesson 2……….…………….………………..63 Bonus: Creation Not Evolution…….………………………………65
Lesson 3 – The Glorious Godhead I. The Attributes of God…………………..…………..………….…... 67 A. Definition of Terms…………………………..…….……………67 B. What We Believe………………………………………………. 69 C. The Existence of God…………………………………………… 71 D. The Nature of God……………………………………………… 73 E. The Trinity of God………………………………………………75 II. God the Father……………..…….……..…………..……………... 77 A. Leadership in the Godhead……..……………..…….…………… 77 B. The Ancient of Days………………………………………….… 79 III. God the Son……….……..…….……..…………..……………... 79 IV. God the Holy Spirit………..…….……..…………..……………... 83 V. Cults and False Religions……..….……..…………..……………... 87 A. Jehovah’s Witnesses…………...……………..…….……………89 B. Mormonism…………………………………………………… 89 Review Questions- Lesson 3…………………….……………….. 91 Bonus: Cults and False Religions……..…………………………… 93
Foundations for Christian Living - 2 - Table of Contents
Lesson 4 – All Kinds of Prayer I. What Is Prayer…………………………..…………..……………... 105 A. Communication with God……………………..…….…………… 105 II. Claiming the Precious Promises……….…..…………..……………... 111 A. Good God vs. Bad Devil…….………………..…….…………… 111 B. Establishing God’s Will on the Earth through Prayer…………………. 113 III. Effective Prayer……………….…….…..…………..……………... 115 A. Keys to a Successful Prayer Life………………..…….……………115 B. Faith, Hope and Love…………………………………………… 115 C. Asking vs. Claiming……………………………………………. 123 D. Beware of Experiences…….…...………………………………. 125 E. Trouble Shooting our Prayers……………………………………. 127 Review Questions- Lesson 4…………………….……………….. 129 Bonus: All Kinds of Prayers…………..………………………… 131 Bonus: Permissive Tense……………….……………………… 146 Bonus: So who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart…………….…………… 147
Lesson 5 – Our Glorious Redemption I. Spiritual Adoption and Inheritance……………………...……………... 149 A. What we were…………….………………..…….…………… 149 B. The Kingdom of God…………………………………………… 151 C. Spiritual Adoption……………………………………………… 153 D. Heir of God and Co-Heir with Jesus Christ…………………………. 155 II. Redemption………………………………………...……………... 157 A. Justification……………….………………..…….…………… 159 B. Remission of Sins……………………………………………… 161 C. The Gift of Righteousness……………………………………….. 161 D. Atonement…………………….……………………………… 163 E. Sanctification…………………………………………………. 163 F. God’s Love Nature Created Within us…………………………….. 165 G. ZOE - Eternal Life……………………………………………… 167 Foundations for Christian Living - 3 - 226 Table of Contents
III. The Doctrine of Baptisms……….…….……………...……………... 169 A. Baptized into the Body of Christ………………..…….…………… 169 B. Water Baptism………………………………………………… 169 C. Baptism with the Holy Spirit……….…………………………….. 171 IV. The Church…..……………….…………………...……………... 173 A. Five-Fold Ministry Gifts………….…………..…….…………… 175 B. Body Gifts……………………………………………………. 177 Review Questions- Lesson 5…………………….……………….. 179 Bonus: Baptized with the Holy Spirit……...……………………… 181 Bonus: Once Saved Always Saved?……….……………………… 198
Lesson 6 – Angels, Satan and Demons I. A Profile on Satan…………………………………...……………... 217 A. His Origin……….……….………………..…….…………… 217 B. The Garden…………………………………….………………221 C. Satan’s Mission, Defeat and Eternal Destination………………………225 II. The Kingdom Of Darkness……….…………………...……………... 227 A. The Nature of the Beast…….………………..…….……….…… 227 B. Satan’s Hierarchy………….…...………………………………. 229 C. The World System……………………………………………… 231 D. Tactics, Devices and Operations………………………………….. 231 III. Elect Angels………………..….…………………...……………... 235 IV. The Believer’s Authority……….…………………...……………... 237 A. Jesus is Victorious………...………………..…….……….…… 237 B. What is Authority?………………………………………………239 C. The Name of Jesus…………………………………………….. 241 Review Questions- Lesson 6…………………….……………….. 243 Bonus: Questions Concerning Demons..…………………………… 245 Bonus: The Nephilim Giants in the Bible...... ……………………… 253
Foundations for Christian Living - 4 -
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Lesson 7 – End Times I. A Sign Of The Times………….……………………...……………...265 A. Hope of Glory……….…...………………..…….……….…… 265 B. Adam’s Lease………………………………………………… 267 C. The End of All things is at Hand………….………………………. 269 II. The Tribulation Period……….…………….………...……………... 273 A. The Rapture…..…….…...………….……..…….……….…… 273 B. The Antichrist & False Prophet……….………………………….. 277 C. The Great Tribulation Period……….……………………………. 281 III. The Second Advent………….……………………...……………... 283 A. Jesus Returns…..…….…...………………..…….……….…… 283 B. The Millennial Reign…………………………………………… 289 IV. Judgments…………….…….……………………...……………...295 A. The Resurrection……..…...………………..…….……….…… 295 B. The Judgment Seat of Christ……………………………………… 297 C. The Great White Throne………………………………………….299 V. The Endless Age…….….…….……………………...……………...301 Review Questions- Lesson 7…………………….……………….. 303 Bonus: Seals, Trumpets & Bowls…….…………………………… 305
Foundations for Christian Living - 5 -
Foundations for Christian Living - 6 - Introduction
Welcome: If you who have recently accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, welcome to the family of God! Your church family wants to see you grow and be equipped and empowered to function effectively in God’s Kingdom. You have just embarked on an adventure that will change your life forever! This program will provide you with vital information that will help ensure a successful Christian life in the days ahead!
Our Mission: The “Foundations for Christian Living” training material is designed to be an entry level Bible teaching and mentoring class for new believers who have recently made a profession of faith within the last year. This material will introduce some fundamental Bible doctrines and initiate Christian disciplines that will set you on the right path. Upon completion of the course, you will have a grasp of the basic tenants of the faith that will help establish a consistent pattern of prayer, Bible reading, church attendance and fellowship with new Christian friends. These ingredients are essential to being a successful Christian and in growing, developing, and experiencing the grace of God in your life. This class is also designed to help fill in the blanks for established believers by introducing fundamental doctrines to the Christian faith and by exploring a wide range of pertinent Bible topics.
Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 1: The Bible is God Speaking to me- maximizing the Bible in your Life. The Bible is a book in a class all by itself:
The Inspiration of the Scriptures- Final authority for all things that pertain to life and conduct The Origin and Canon of the Bible- Translations and how the Bible got into its present form The Anatomy of the Bible- Old and New Testament, Law, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles, etc. Bible Devotions- Key to spiritual growth, by feeding on the Word and is the source of faith
Lesson 2: Creation, The Fall & God’s Solution- the promise of a Redeemer. Our focus here is to provide a big picture orientation of the origin and redemption of mankind:
Who am I? Created in God’s image and the tri-cotomy of man Why am I here? God’s dream for us as it began in the Garden of Eden What in the world happened? The fall of man, the consequences of death due to disobedience God’s Solution! The promise of a redeemer and redemption of mankind
Foundations for Christian Living - 7 -
Lesson 3: The Glorious Godhead- introduction to the Trinity. God is one, expressed in three persons- Father, Son & Holy Spirit:
The attributes of God- Trinity, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient- names, character of God God the Father- Introducing the Father’s heart and leadership role in the family of God God the Son- The Word of God and executor of the Father’s will and plan God the Holy Spirit- The seven fold Spirit of God, magnifies Jesus and the believer’s helper Cults & False Religions- Understanding Satan’s attempt to counterfeit the truth
Lesson 4: All Kinds of Prayer- a guide to communicating with God. Prayer is our life line to the throne of God:
What is prayer? Communication with the Father God by the Spirit in Jesus’ Name Claiming the Precious Promises- Entering into God’s provision for your life Effective Prayer- Faith, Hope & Love- the cornerstones to a powerful prayer life All Kinds of Prayer- Bonus Material: Study the various modes and operations of prayer
Lesson 5: Our Glorious Redemption- welcome to the Family of God. Being in Christ opens a whole new world of exciting possibilities and discoveries:
Spiritual Adoption and Inheritance- A new creation, born into God’s family as a child of God Redemption- An explanation of what Christ’s death, burial and resurrection means to us The doctrine of Baptisms- Baptism into the body of Christ, in water and in the Holy Spirit The Church- What it is, ministry gifts and your unique gifting and endowments
Lesson 6: Angels, Satan and Demons- origins and operations. Extraterrestrial spiritual agents of Light and Darkness:
A synopsis of Satan- His origin, fall, the garden, mission, defeat at Calvary and final destination The kingdom of Darkness- Hierarchy and classification, world system, tactics and operations Angels- Origin, classification, function- examples of operation throughout the Bible Authority of the Believer- The triumphant Christ Jesus, what is authority and the Name of Jesus
Lesson 7: End Times- the end of Adam’s lease and the ushering in of the endless age. God’s sovereign conclusion to the world as we know it:
Signs of the Times- The Hope of Glory, and concerning Adam’s lease and the end of all things The Tribulation Period- Rapture, Antichrist & False Prophet, and the Great Tribulation Second Advent- The Lord’s Second Return and Millennium Reign Judgments- The Resurrection, Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ and the Great White Throne The Endless Age- When everything is made brand new
Foundations for Christian Living - 8 -
Lesson Objective: The foundation of our Christian faith is found only in one book: the Bible. In it we discover who we are, where we came from and where we are going; it explains the “why” of the human condition, and the existence of evil in the world. Through its pages we become acquainted with the God of the universe, the all-powerful, loving, holy, just, Redeemer and Savior. The Word of God speaks to us about a personal relationship with God and with the community of saints, which is the Church.
Our attitude toward the Bible will determine our willingness to put into practice its principles. If we consider it to be the Word of God, it will be the measure by which we judge all human thought and systems of truth, whether social, scientific, historical or religious. It will rule our conduct and personal relationships. If we believe that the Bible is the divine Word of God, it will mold our values, attitudes, judgments and actions.
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 1: The Bible is God Speaking to me- maximizing the Bible in your Life. The Bible is a book in a class all by itself:
The Inspiration of the Scriptures- Final authority for all things that pertain to life and conduct. The Origin and Canon of the Bible-translations. How the Bible got into its present form. The Anatomy of the Bible- Old and New Testament, Law, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles etc. Bible Devotions- Key to spiritual growth, by feeding on the Word and is the source of Faith.
A. Inspiration Explained
2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Definition: The supernatural action of the Holy Spirit on the mind of the sacred writers whereby the Scriptures were not merely their own, but the Word of God. Scripture not merely contains but is the Word of God.
Inspiration is the process through which God, by means of the Holy Spirit, assured the existence of an exact and true record of the redeeming work of Christ, and the corresponding interpretation of the redemption story, produced in written form by holy men of God.
Foundations for Christian Living - 9 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 10 - The Bible is the inspired, God-breathed Word of God. The Bible is an inherent, infallible book. It contains words, phrases, and sentences as it was originally written. The Word of God contains no errors. Doctrinally there is no error. The essence of the Word is still intact even when it is translated into other languages. God is more than able to preserve the integrity of his Word and to protect his eternal truths for all generations.
1 Thessalonians 2:13-14 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
The Holy Spirit utilized all the faculties of the writer. He guided the writers to choose the narratives and materials, the discourses of others, the imperial decrees, the genealogies, the official letters, and historical material that was necessary to relate the divine message of salvation.
They were not totally passive as those whose hands move automatically in an unconscious state. Their distinctive ways of writing stand out, as in the four gospels, which describe the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke, the beloved physician, used many medical terms not found in Matthew, Mark, or John. Some biblical writers like Moses and Paul were highly educated; others were not.
Certainly, some passages of Scripture have been received by audible dictation…
Exodus 19:3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel…”
However, many were guided by a silent activity of the Holy Spirit …
Luke 1:1-4 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
B. Thousands of Prophecies Fulfilled
The fulfillment of thousands of prophecies that were recorded in the Bible proves that it is inspired by God himself.
About 3,300 verses of prophecy have been fulfilled, predictions made hundreds and even thousands of years before fulfillment. Not one detail has failed. Already, most of them have been fulfilled and are being fulfilled today. The Bible is not a man originated book but God’s blueprint for the redemption of mankind, outlining his strategies and recording His victories. It is plain to see that by the prophetic nature of the Scriptures that it is a book inspired by God.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Foundations for Christian Living - 11 -
Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 12 -
Man’s kingdoms and philosophies come and go like the wind, but God’s words are eternal. They never grow old or become outdated or old-fashioned. They are as real and pertinent to today’s issues and concerns. The Bible provides reflections on past happenings, answers for today’s problems, and vision for tomorrow’s uncertainties.
Psalm 119:89, 96 Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. To perfection I see a limit; but your words are exceedingly broad and extends without limits into eternity.
Psalm 119:152, 160, 144 Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever. All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Your statutes are forever right.
Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Isaiah 40:6-8 All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.
C. Science Confirmed
Since God’s creation is accurately recorded in the Scriptures, it proves that the Bible is inspired by God Himself.
The Bible is scientifically and historically correct. No one man has ever found the Bible at fault in any of its hundreds of statements on history, astronomy, botany, geology, or any other branch of learning. When science sets out to disprove the Bible, it only confirms it as our final authority for all matters of human existence.
The Fool Says In His Heart, “There Is No God.”
We read in 1 Corinthians 14:33 that God is a God of order, which is demonstrated by the universe that he has so wonderfully created. It’s no wonder that His written word is fashioned in the same manner. The Word of God not only unlocks secrets to God’s spiritual kingdom but also the natural world we live in.
Foundations for Christian Living - 13 -
Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 14 -
D. The Bible is God-Breathed
Just as God breathed into Adam spiritual life, the “breath of life,” so He breathed into the body of Scripture the breath of His life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
We see in the first Chapter of the Gospel of John that the second person of the Godhead “The Word” coming to earth and taking on human form- the incarnation of the God-man Jesus Christ! The Word of God is a divine person, as one of the glorious Godhead!
Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word.
Words are containers of various substances. Words can contain the substances of life or death! Since grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17), His words are containers of God’s Grace, Truth and Life!
Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
John 17:17- Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
E. The Bible is Without Errors
Means that in its original autographs, the Bible contains no mistakes. In the original languages in which it was written, it is absolutely infallible- without error whatever.
In contrast to this, atheists, agnostics and liberal theologians have declared the Bible to be full of errors and contradictions. However, God has hidden the truth of His Word from such as these, so it is no small wonder that they say such things- Matthew 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
God’s Word is our final authority for all matters that pertain to life and conduct- in other words the Bible has the final say, there is no higher authority on earth that can supersede the Scriptures!
Foundations for Christian Living - 15 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 16 -
A. How the Bible Came to Us
The English word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblos, meaning “a book”. The word biblos comes from the word given to the inner pulp of the papyrus reed on which ancient books were written. The Bible is also called: “The Scriptures” Mark 12:10; “The Sacred Writings” 2 Timothy 3:15; “The Oracles of God” Romans 3:2; “The Word of God” Hebrews 4:12.
The Bible didn’t fall miraculously from heaven; it came to us through a historical process which was guided by the Holy Spirit. Only by the grace of God is it possible for these sacred books to be preserved and copied throughout the centuries.
The Holy Spirit used between 35 to 40 writers over a time period of around 1500 years to write the Bible, in different parts of the world, time, environment, personalities and culture. Among them were priests, prophets, kings, a tax collector, a doctor, a soldier, a scribe, a poet and a theologian. Yet they were consistent in what they wrote and did not contradict one another. The only solution is a divine author spoke through them. The Bible is the Word of God, preserved by God, and inspired by God.
B. ‘Canon’ Explained
The word “canon” comes from the Greek kanon, meaning “a measuring rod or reed,” and signifies a rule, a standard. Hence, the Canon of the Bible consists of those books considered worthy to be included in the Holy Scriptures.
The New Bible Dictionary puts it this way: “The various books possessed and exercised divine authority long before men ever made pronouncements to that effect. Christian councils did not give the books their divine authority, but merely recognized that they both had it and exercised it.”
“Canonization was the result of a centuries-long development, whereby only those writings that proved useful for faith and worship were elevated to such a decisive role. The Canon, that is to say, was determined not so much by Rabbinic or Church decree as by the intrinsic merit of each separate book and its reception by the worshipping community for the inspiration or edification it offered.”
C. The Canonization of the Old Testament
The formation of the canon was accomplished in three steps:
1) The divine seal upon the book (inspiration). 2) The human recognition of that inspiration. 3) The collection of the inspired books.
Although there is no actual time specified when the canon of the Old Testament was closed, the Old Testament itself gives many suggestions of the beginnings of the writings of God’s laws that they might be kept for the people- Exodus 24:3-4; Deuteronomy 31:24-26.
Foundations for Christian Living - 17 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 18 - D. The Canonization of the New Testament The books of the New Testament were written between 45 and 96 A.D. Thanks to the writings of the Early Church Fathers we can see the process through which the Early Church recognized and compiled the canon of the New Testament. Tests used to determine canonicity:
1) Apostolicity. Was the book written by an Apostle or one who was associated with the Apostles? 2) Spiritual Content. Was the book being read in the churches and did its contents prove a means of spiritual edification? This was an important practical test. 3) Doctrinal Soundness. Were the contents of the book doctrinally sound? Any book containing heresy, or that which was contrary to the already accepted canonical books was rejected. 4) Usage. Was the book universally recognized in the churches, and widely quoted by the Church Fathers? 5) Divine Inspiration. This was the ultimate test; everything finally had to give way to it.
The two Testaments encompass the complete revelation of God. Conclusive evidence testify of the inspiration of the 66 books of our canon. We need nothing more, it’s complete and trustworthy.
E. Bible Translations The Bible was originally written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These languages are still spoken in some parts of the world today.
The word “manuscript,” as it is used today, is restricted to those copies of the Bible which were made in the same language in which it was originally written. At the time the Bible came to be printed (1455 A.D.), there were over 2,000 manuscripts in possession of certain scholars. At present, there are some 4,500 manuscripts of the New Testament.
This number is significant when it is considered that scholars are willing to accept ten or twenty manuscripts of classical writings to consider a work genuine. Contrast ten or twenty with thousands of manuscripts of the Bible. The manuscripts, of course, were hand written.
The Septuagint: The Old Testament in Greek - (3rd-2nd Centuries B.C.) The Vulgate: The Bible in Latin- 4th Century The Scriptures in English – 705, 1380, 1611 & 1881 A.D. The Scriptures in German – 1522 A.D.
Versions of the Twentieth Century More than twenty versions and revisions of the English Bible have been produced in the twentieth century: The New American Standard Bible, The New International Version, and the Revised Standard Version. Some translations have endeavored to be literal renderings of the originals, while others are definitely paraphrases into what is considered to be more modern English usage.
So does this great flurry of “experts,” give us the exact language of the original autographs indicate that we cannot depend upon our present English Bible to declare the true message God would proclaim to Mankind? Perhaps the following quotation from Sir Frederic Kenyon, director of the British Museum, will answer the question best:
“It is reassuring at the end to find that the general result of all these discoveries and all this study is to strengthen the proof of the authenticity of the Scriptures, and our conviction that we have in our hands, in substantial integrity, the veritable Word of God” Foundations for Christian Living - 19 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 20 -
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
A. The Old and New Testaments
THE LAW: Genesis Historical: Matthew (Pentateuch) Exodus (Gospels) Mark Leviticus Luke Numbers John Deuteronomy The Book of: Acts
THE PROPHETS: The Epistles:
“Early Prophets” “Latter Prophets” “Pauline” “General”
Joshua Isaiah Romans Hebrews
Judges Jeremiah I and II Corinthians James
I & II Samuel Ezekiel Galatians I and II Peter
I & II Kings 12 minor: Hosea - Malachi Ephesians I, II, III John
Philippians Jude THE WRITINGS: Colossians
I and II Thessalonians “Poetic Books” “Scrolls” “Historical/Prophetic” I and II Timothy Psalms Ruth Daniel Titus Proverbs Esther Ezra Philemon Job Lamentations Nehemiah
Song of Solomon I & II Chronicles “Prophetical” Ecclesiastes Revelation
It should also be noted that the relationship between the structures of the Old and New Testaments is progressive as well as parallel. The New Testament builds upon the Old Testament. The prophecies of the Old Testament, fulfilled in Christ, become the histories of the New Testament. We have, then, a grand ascent through the ages from creation to the Cross to the crown in another great “Pentateuch” or five-fold outline.
(V) NT Prophecy
(IV) NT Interpretation & History
(III) OT Prophecy (II) OT Interpretation (I) OT History
The nexus or point of contact is the redemptive life, teachings, and atoning death of Jesus Christ. Foundations for Christian Living - 21 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 22 -
A. The Bible is Key to Spiritual Growth
Daily Bible reading is essential for spiritual growth and is a prerequisite to becoming a successful disciple of Jesus Christ. The Bible is God speaking to us, so as we read God’s Word, God speaks to us through the Scriptures. Since faith begins where the will of God is known and God’s Word is God’s Will; we discover God’s will for our life through the Bible!
John 8:31-32 Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
As we train our human spirit, we will become more conscience of our spirit, and the leading of the Holy Spirit in the affairs of life. God does not want us to wander through life aimlessly wondering what His will is for our life.
Here are four steps that we can take in order to develop our human spirit. A disciple of Christ is a disciplined follower of Jesus. It is essential that we develop godly habits of consistently reading God’s Word, prayer and fellowshipping with other believers. This will develop character in our lives and place us in a position to be used by God for His glory!
Meditate on the Word of God Practice the Word of God in your Life Put the Word of God First Place in your Life Instantly obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within your spirit
Isaiah 1:19-20 “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
The true mark of spiritual maturity is measured by our love walk. Not as this world does, but by God’s standard of supernatural love that has been shed abroad in our spirits by the Holy Spirit according to Romans 5:5. God’s love in action is seen as we put God’s Word into practice in our lives! I truly love you as I obey God’s Word in how the Bible says I’m supposed to treat you!
1 John 4:8-12 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 5:2-3 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.
John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 23 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 24 - B. Feeding on God’s Word
As natural food is to our body, so the Word of God is to our spirit. We eat God’s Word as we meditate on God’s Word! In order for our spirit to grow, we must learn how to feed our spirit the right diet. Have you heard that saying, “You are what you eat?” This is definitely a true statement in a spiritual context, “Spiritually we are what we read”. Feed on God’s Word, it is our spiritual food. As we meditate on the Scriptures, our spirit is nourished and built up- 1 Peter 2:2-3; Job 23:12; Psalm 19:9-11. Beware of the junk food of this world- poisonous music, videos and books!
The Word of God is the Bread of Life
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Mt. 4:4
How sweet are your promises to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight! Jeremiah 15:16
The best place to start reading in the Bible would be in the New Testament, beginning with the Gospel of John and read on through to Revelation. Don’t speed read, but take your time and read over the same passages a few times as necessary. We generally eat a meal until we are full; the same goes with the Bible and Prayer. Read and pray until you are satisfied each day, you will find that your spiritual appetite will gradually increase over time, so you will naturally spend more and more time doing what you love without following a religious regimen.
Physically we cannot live on a few snacks a week. We cannot afford it spiritually either. To be equipped and nourished spiritually is more important than it is for our physical bodies, because to be spiritually sound has eternal implications. A spirit depleted of God’s Word is a weak, feeble, and frail spirit, unable to deal with life’s issues that confront us. So “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” according to Colossians 3:16. We feed our spirit through meditation; speaking of a slow savoring process that submerges oneself in the Bible to extract spiritual truth by the Holy Spirit.
“Meditate” in the Hebrew means- To mutter, to ponder, imagine, speak, study, talk & utter.
We need to read the Bible like a cow eats grass:
Graze in the pastures of God’s Word. Chew it in your mouth and heart for a long time. Bring it back up later on and chew on it some more.
Be prayerful as you read the Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit for understanding and revelation. Reflect, resonate, savor, relish, mutter, and speak God’s Word. Take it from Betsy!
Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Foundations for Christian Living - 25 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 26 - C. By Grace through Faith
Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are saved by Grace through Faith according to Ephesians 2:8-9 and not by our own works. Salvation is a gift, free to us, but cost God an indescribable price. There is a real risk for new believers to revert back to the old ways of the world and instigate a works-based system- living for God by our own strength and adopting a belief system based on private interpretation.
Our society has been poisoned by a philosophy of moral relativism, where individuals make their own rules and live in a manner that suits their own desires- Psalms 36:2 “For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.” Thank God that Jesus is our ‘Savior’ but is He also ‘Lord’ of our lives? For some, Jesus is just fire insurance, an escape route from hell, which is a good thing, but a true disciple of Jesus Christ makes Him Lord over every area of life!
The believers in Galatia were being corrected for slipping back into legalism and religion. As believers in Jesus Christ we function in His kingdom by God’s grace through our faith in God’s Word! Deriving power for living by the Spirit released through faith in the Bible. Not by fabricating and manufacturing a moral system based on our discretion, or even trying to obey the Bible, but attempting to do so in our own strength- which is foolishness!
Galatians 3:1-5 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
There are many people who are sincere in their attempts to please God, but according to Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” No amount of zeal will please God, only faith according to Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God.” Simply obedience and submission to God’s way of doing things as described in His Word brings life- Deuteronomy 30:11-14. The world thinks we are narrow minded, but there are no shades to truth!
John 14:6-7- Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
You are going to find in God’s economy, there is only one way of doing things and that is His way, like it or not that is the naked truth. God’s Word is based on spiritual laws, absolute truths, black and white. Just as you can’t argue with how gravity works because it is a natural law, how much more concerning God’s final authority- The Bible!
Foundations for Christian Living - 27 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 28 - The apostle Paul uses fellow Israelites as an example of intense zeal or desire to please God. Unfortunately their zeal was not based on God’s Word, so they created their own religion like so many people do, and in so doing miss God’s way back to Him.
Romans 10:1-4 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
So what are the works that God desires from us, what is the path, the right way back to God. Simply believe on Jesus. So as Christians how are we to live for God and do what pleases Him? Continue to serve God in the same manner you first received Him, by His Grace through Faith in His Word.
John 6:28-29 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
D. The Word of Faith The works that God requires from us is to mix our faith in God’s Word. So how do we do that? Through a spiritual law referred to in the Bible as the ‘Word of Faith.’
Hebrews 4:1-3 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest…
First let's define what ‘Grace’ is and where it comes from. Simply put according to the Bible, grace is the power of God at work in us who believe! God’s grace is God’s Power and is contained in God’s Word- the Bible. As we meditate on the Bible, we are ingesting God’s power and creative life into our spirit- John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Note, in verse 1 Jesus is referred to as “The Word” in this chapter. The Word of God = the Grace of God. So God’s grace, God’s power for living comes through the Word of God- the Bible!
Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes
Ephesians 3:7- I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
John 6:63- The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Foundations for Christian Living - 29 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 30 - The secret to living by grace through faith is simply found in getting God’s Word from off the pages of the Bible and into our spirit. Our spirit is the production center, the fertile ground from which the seed of God’s Word is planted and grows to produce after its own kind in a multiplied fashion.
Luke 17:20-21 The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
In the parable of the sower according to Mark chapter 4, the seed of God is the Word of God, the ground is the human spirit or heart. The act of sowing the seed is accomplished when it is spoken and heard. Spoken by someone else or yourself. God’s word released from our mouth, takes flight in mid air and enters the human ear on a one way-ticket to the human spirit- Romans 10:17!
Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
The Law of Genesis according to Genesis 1:11-12, everything produces after its own kind. Corn seed produces more corn, wheat seed does not produce apple trees. In 1 Peter 1:23, the Bible is referred to as imperishable seed. When you heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, salvation seed was planted in our heart and caused salvation faith to come by hearing the Word of God concerning salvation. Having believed, God’s Word released salvation grace, the power of God for salvation into our lives. THE SAME PRINCIPLE WORKS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE! When we have a need, sow the seed of God’s Word; need healing speak healing Scriptures over our lives!
Romans 10:8 “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:”
2 Corinthians 4:13-14 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak…
So we see two spiritual laws at work! First begins the spiritual law of the ‘Word of Faith’ which states, “When we meditate on God’s Word (speak it out of our mouths), it will get into our hearts where it will grow until harvest time. The next spiritual law begins where the “Word of Faith’ ends and that is the ‘Spirit of Faith’. The Word of God in our hearts comes back up out of our mouths to manifest and cause what we speak to come to pass- Luke 17:5-6; Mark 11:14, 20-25.
Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
In conclusion, God’s directive for His children is for us to hide His Word in our hearts by speaking it out of our mouths as a lifestyle. Thus releasing the Grace, Power, Strength and Life of God in His Word; in order for us to obey His commands and receive His provision = enter into the rest of God. Psalms 119:11- I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Foundations for Christian Living - 31 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 32 - Lesson 1 Review:
What is the definition of Biblical Inspiration and what does that mean for us as believers?
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How did the Bible come to us?
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What is significant about the relationship between the Old and New Testaments?
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List the four steps that we can take in order to develop our human spirits?
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The Bible is referred to as, “The Bread of Life” so what does that mean?
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Explain the “By Grace through Faith” Biblical principle?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 33 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 34 - Bonus Material: Faith Facts
Fact: Those who say they can and those who say they can’t are both right. We will never rise above our confession of God’s Word.
Job 22:28 AMP- You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God’s favor] shall shine upon your ways.
Fact: The Word of Faith principle is appropriated by continually speaking God’s Word out of our mouths so we can hear it. At some point in time, that Word will become planted in our spirit.
Romans 10:8- But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:
Fact: The Word of God conceived in the heart, formed by the tongue, and spoken out of our mouths is creative power.
2 Corinthians 4:13- It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak.
Fact: The Law of Genesis is that everything produces after its own kind- we reap what we sow. The second law of Genesis is the law of ‘Seed time and Harvest’ in Genesis 8:22.
Genesis 1:11-12 AMP And God said, let the earth put forth [tender] vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees yielding fruit whose seed is in itself, each according to its kind, upon the earth. And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed according to their own kinds and trees bearing fruit in which was their seed, each according to its kind.
Fact: God’s Word is spiritual seed and the sowing of God’s Word is done by speaking God’s Word.
Luke 17:6- He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”
Fact: Words are containers, they contain faith or fear. The Word of God is the power of God and contains His grace- God’s Words are containers of spirit and of life according to John 6:63.
Romans 10:17 NKJV- So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Fact: Faith is not moved by what it sees, only by what God’s Word declares. Confess victory in the face of apparent defeat. Confess abundance in the face of apparent lack. 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight.” Joel 3:10, “Let the weak say I am strong.”
Romans 4:17- The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
Fact: Faith filled words will put us over in life; fear filled words will defeat us; words are the most powerful thing in the universe. Foundations for Christian Living - 35 - Hebrews 11:1, 3 AMP By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible. NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
Fact: We can always identify a person who believes with the heart- Romans 4:21, like Abraham, “… being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” This is different from mental assent, mere head knowledge which is not to be confused with believing with our spirit.
Hebrews 11:6- And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Fact: Faith does not deny the circumstances of life, it just denies the circumstances of life from dominating our life and superseding the reality of God’s Precious Promises.
Romans 4:19-20 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.
Fact: Faith begins where the will of God is known.
1 John 5:14-15- This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.
Fact: The principles of faith are based on spiritual laws. They work for whoever will apply these laws. We set them in motion by the words of our mouths.
Mark 9:23- “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Fact: God never does anything without saying it first. God is a faith God- releasing faith in His Words.
Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Fact: What we keep on saying we will eventually receive. So if we can have what we say, we shouldn’t keep on saying what we already have, if it’s not what we want. In other words, call for what we ‘want’ (The Promises of God) not what we already have (The Problem), unless of course we want more of what we don’t want.
Mark 11:22-24- “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 36 -
Lesson Objective: Having laid a foundation of God’s Word, our next lesson in the study series is to provide a reference to our beginning and origin. I believe that one of the greatest of human needs is to possess a sense of purpose and meaning in life. The questions of who am I, why am I here and where am I going will be addressed in this session according to the Holy Scriptures. As church leaders, we do not presume to have all the answers, rather our job is to point people to The Answer, Jesus Christ. Jesus, being the Word of God has all the answers to life’s questions and pursuits. God’s Word is our final authority for all matters that pertain to life and conduct! I believe that this lesson will be a lot of fun as it opens your eyes to some of the mysteries of life.
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 2: Creation, The Fall & God’s Solution- the promise of a Redeemer. Our focus here is to provide a big picture orientation of the origin and redemption of mankind:
Who am I? Created in God’s image. The tri-cotomy of man. Why am I here? God’s dream for us as it began in the Garden of Eden. What in the world happened? The fall of man, the consequences of death due to disobedience. God’s Solution! The promise of a Redeemer and the redemption of mankind.
A. The World before Ours: Pre-Adamite Creation
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
God is the author of all life and creator of the earth and the universe.
Psalm 24:1-2 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
Note: What about the dinosaurs being millions of years old?
We know by Scripture that man has been on the scene for about 6,000 years- we will cover this in more depth shortly. Let’s read on in Genesis chapter 2…
Foundations for Christian Living - 37 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 38 - Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Note: The word “was” in Genesis 1:2 would be better translated in the Hebrew ‘hayah’ as “became.”
Something happened between Genesis 1:1 where God created the world at that time and then it was apparently destroyed. When we study the origin of Satan you will learn of a rebellion and the judgment that followed, destroying the world at that time along with all the creation of that time.
B. The Beginning of Our Time: A New Creation
God starts over by re-creating the earth as described in Genesis chapter one
vs. 3-5- Day One: “Let there be Light”. Day and night are created
vs. 6-8 Day Two: “Let there be an expanse to separate the water”. The sky was made
vs. 9-13 Day Three: “Let the water under the sky gather to one place and let ground appear.” God called the ground “land” and the gathered waters “seas”. God also said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed bearing plants and trees…”
vs. 14-19 Day Four: “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky”. God created the stars and the moon for the night and the sun to give light to the day.
vs. 20-23 Day Five: “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky. God created creatures of the sea & air
vs. 24-26 Day Six: “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds. God made the wild animals according to their kinds and livestock. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…”
2:1-2 Day Seven: “By the seventh day God had finished His work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested and blessed it and made it holy…”
God spoke creative words and what He said came to pass!
Hebrews 1:3 (AMP) Upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Foundations for Christian Living - 39 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 40 - C. The Anatomy of a Human Being
Note: What about evolution and human beings evolving?
For one thing, the science of evolution is not a proven fact, but only a theory to the origin of man.
God made man as a full grown mature being. Hence the age old question is answered, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” The answer is that God made the chicken first and then it would lay eggs. Every living creature like man was initially made in a mature and complete state.
Of the animal kingdom he said, “Be fruitful and increase in number.” Genesis 1:22 Of the plant world he said, “Seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” Genesis 1:11 Of man God said, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” Genesis 1:28
Here we see what we call the “Law of Genesis”- everything produces after its own kind!
Genesis 2:7 The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Note: Adam’s name means in the Hebrew: Ruddy, to flush or turn rosy; made out of red clay.
God made a physical body for man out of the dust of the ground. At that point, man’s body was a lifeless and empty shell. Scientists today will tell you that within the human body is found all the trace elements and minerals found in the soil. So God made a body for man to dwell in.
Finally, God took a part of himself and breathed into man so that he became a living being. The essence that makes man alive is not the presence of a physical body, but the presence of a spiritual being (produced by the breathe of God) that came into the physical body.
John 4:24- God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
When conception takes place in a mother’s womb, God creates a spirit being, the real person to abide in that little physical body as it is being formed.
Hebrews 12:9- How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Jeremiah 1:5- Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart
This spiritual attribute of man is what makes him unique to the animal creation! We are created in God’s image and in His likeness.
Genesis 1:26- Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.
In fact, James 2:26 states, “The body without the spirit is dead.”
You are a tri-cotomy, a three part being. You are a spirit, you have a soul and you live in a body. Foundations for Christian Living - 41 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 42 - 1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You are a spirit- The real you that lives forever. Conscience is the voice of your spirit. With your spirit you can contact God and have a relationship with Him by faith.
You have a soul- The intellect, free-will and emotions. Reason is the voice of your soul. With your mind you contact the intellectual realm of thought, memory, reason, and imagination. This is not to be confused with brain matter, your soul like your spirit is eternal. God speaks to us through our spirit and our spirit then enlightens our mind so that we can understand it- this is referred to in the Bible as revelation knowledge- Ephesians 1:17.
You live in a body- The physical body that is mortal. It is the shell, the house, the earth suit that we live in and allows us to dwell on this earth. With it we contact the physical world through our five senses. Our feelings are the voice of our body. When the body dies, the spirit and soul of a person leaves the body- James 2:26.
A. God’s Dream for Man
Note: So why am I here? Why did God make us in the first place?
Genesis 1:26-27 “…and let them (mankind) rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
First of all God wanted to have someone to share his creation with and allow us to know what it is like to live, to exist, to be. He honored us above all creation by making us in His image and in His likeness. God gave us dominion to rule and take care of the earth. To discover all of its mysteries and to replenish it with people, who will grow up to know God and have a relationship with Him.
Acts 17:24-31 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.”
Ask yourself, why most married couples want to have children. It is an extension of themselves, an object of their love. In order to share life with their children and to enjoy a relationship.
Foundations for Christian Living - 43 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 44 - Matthew 7:9-11 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
James 1:16-18 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
God is a good God, nothing gives Him more pleasure than to bless His own children. I would like to suggest that the meaning of life is found in relationships- 1 Timothy 6:7 “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” However, the impact we make upon the lives of others for God’s glory, lives on for eternity. God made mankind to be relational beings. First to have a personal relationship with Himself, and then with others.
Romans 14:7-8 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
B. The Garden of Eden
God prepared a beautiful place for Adam called the Garden of Eden. In that day and age there was no rain that fell upon the earth. There was a canopy of water vapor that covered the whole earth and created a greenhouse effect. As a result, the whole earth was regulated at a mild temperature with no extremes as we know them today.
Genesis 2:6- But streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.
Genesis 2:8-9, 15 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
God had a relationship with man, but man needed a helpmate to work beside him in order to take care of God’s creation, enjoy relational interaction and to replenish the earth. God made a woman from Adam’s rib. God formed a new body and breathed the breath of life into her as he had done with man.
Genesis 2:20-25 But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Foundations for Christian Living - 45 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 46 -
A. To Obey or Not To Obey
Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
Note: Why would God have one tree that could not be eaten from?
God did not make mankind to be a race of robots. Animals function through instinct that drives them down pre-programmed behavior patterns. However, mankind is unique in that God has given every human being a free will to choose their eternal destiny. To be with God or without Him. The purpose of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was to test man’s allegiance. Was man going to stay true and faithful to the Lord or listen and follow Satan- it was a probationary period.
Genesis 3:1-3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
The serpent was part of the animal kingdom in the garden, the serpent allowed Satan to speak through it in order to deceive Adam and Eve. Who is Satan you may ask, well we will cover him in more detail in the future – he was an arch angel that rebelled against God before Adam and Eve.
Satan was allowed an opportunity to tempt man to see if Adam and Eve would rebel against God. Hence we have the Garden encounter.
Notice that the first thing that Satan attempts to do is to undermine what God had clearly stated- ‘Did God really say’.
Genesis 3:4-7 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Here Satan outright calls God a liar. Adam and Eve were left with a choice. On the one hand God said do not eat of the tree. On the other hand the devil entices them to go ahead and partake of the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve were not forced to obey or disobey, they were left with a choice. Unfortunately, they choose to obey Satan instead of God, little did they realize what they set in motion for all mankind!
Foundations for Christian Living - 47 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 48 - B. What did Adam & Eve’s Disobedience Mean for Mankind
Genesis 3:7-8 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Notice that Adam and Eve were created in God’s image and even though they were naked, God clothed them with His Glorious light as a covering- the Bible says that God is light. When they sinned by disobeying God, the lights went out and what they saw was their bare nakedness. Satan did not tell them about the shame, guilt and fear that accompanied disobedience.
Look, here comes God on his daily visit to fellowship with Adam and Eve. Of course God was there when Adam and Eve sinned, with Him there are no surprises. The worst thing about sin is that it separates us from God. God hates sin not so much for the act itself, but how it ravages us and what it does to our relationship with Him. Adam and Eve realized what they have done and hide from God in shame and fear.
Genesis 3:9-13 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
God was giving Adam and Eve an opportunity to fess up and simply admit that they had sinned and disobeyed Him. We may have had quite a different world today if they had just been honest about the whole thing. Instead we see a classic case of the old pass the buck. Yes, blame shifting started in the very beginning, some 6,000 years ago! Excuses never has afforded much mercy from man or God.
You can read the whole exchange in Genesis 3:14-19
Sin will cost us more than we are willing to pay, take us farther than we want to go, and keep us longer than we are willing to stay. So Adam and Eve, was it worth it? NO!!! Not for them or for us! Let’s break this thing down, that was a lot to take in, but it sure does explain a whole lot:
Judgment on the Serpent: Snakes once upright creatures were made to crawl on the ground.
Judgment on the Woman: There is a two-fold judgment on women, first it is in regards to child bearing. Secondly, in the Garden, woman was taken from Adam’s side to be by his side as a helpmate. Hence, began the battle of the sexes between men and women.
Judgment on the Man: Adam’s labor of love in the Garden would become a toil, sweat and hardship. Not to mention that after the fall, Adam become mortal physically, weakened and debilitated. His mental facilities also took a nose dive, all the potential he and Eve had was greatly diminished or dumbed down. Foundations for Christian Living - 49 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 50 - There is a spiritual principle I want to introduce here, and how it relates to Adam and Eve having obeyed Satan and disobeyed God. If you thought that the above judgments were bad enough, there is more to the consequences of their sin and its effect on mankind- Hebrews 2:14-15.
Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Adam committed high treason and gave the dominion that God had given him to the devil. Through disobedience, mankind was enslaved to Satan. The Scripture below is an actual account in the life of Jesus. Satan tempted Jesus by offering Him dominion over the world that he stole from Adam.
Luke 4:5-7 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
1 John 5:19- We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Three Forms of Death: Remember that God had warned Adam that if he partook of the forbidden fruit that he would die. Human beings as we mentioned before are spirit beings with souls- the real you that lives forever. In order to exist on this earth we all live in physical bodies.
Physical Death: I am sure that you figured out by now that our physical bodies from birth begin to decay and eventually wear out. In the beginning God genetically designed our physical bodies to live forever. The fall of man caused the longevity of the human body to decay. Did you know that Adam lived 930 years before his physical body finally wore out. A man named Methuselah lived 969 years. All this is in Genesis chapter five. As you read Genesis chapter five and go on down the list, the life expectancy of these men gradually went down and down. Finally, after the flood of Noah, God set man’s life expectancy to 120 years according to Genesis 6:3.
Spiritual Death: Adam and Eve had two sons, named Cain and Abel. Cain, the older brother ended up murdering his brother Abel- you can read about the account in Genesis chapter 4. When Adam obeyed Satan by disobeying God, Adam partook of Satan’s nature spiritually and became a spiritual slave to sin. If a person is not born again into God’s family, he/she is a child of the devil- 1 John 3:10, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are…” From this sinful satanic spiritual nature comes all the evil and corruption in the world. The solution to all the crime and hate is not world peace, but a spiritual new birth through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus had explained it perfectly when he addressed the religious leaders in regards to the source or root of a person’s behavior- what we are and how we live is determined by our spiritual nature.
Foundations for Christian Living - 51 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 52 - Matthew 12:33-37 Jesus said, “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Eternal Death: Each day a person is alive by God’s mercy, is another day to accept God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ and become a child of God. However, if that person dies in their sins, having rejected God’s free offer of reconciliation all that is left is eternal damnation.
John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
Death from a Biblical perspective, in its simplest form means “Separation”. Physical death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body- James 2:26. Spiritual death is a separation from God as our spiritual Father and becoming a child of the devil at the age of accountability, with his wicked sinful nature- Romans 7:9; 1 John 3:10. Eternal death is eternally being separated from God and being cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death- Revelations 20:14.
Our decisions determine our destiny, the power to choose is a dignity that God has graced human beings with. When we received Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we made an eternal choice to spend eternity with God.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life.
God has given every person a set of time called a lifetime to make that one eternal decision- to accept Jesus or reject him. For those who ignore the question, they have already made their decision.
2 Corinthians 6:2 “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
C. Man’s Hopeless Predicament
Galatians 3:22- But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.
Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Foundations for Christian Living - 53 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 54 - Born Into Sin: Due to Adam’s transgression, every human being that is born on this earth, has a propensity to sin. In other words, the blood line of mankind is contaminated with a sinful nature that every person is born with- optional reading Romans 7:14-20. Even as little child, the inherent selfish sinful nature is on display- the whole world revolves around him/her.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
Age of Accountability: A baby or small child is spiritually alive unto God until they are old enough to choose to disobey. Small children are innocent or not accountable for their actions until they reach a certain age of accountability. If they were to die physically, they would go to heaven, seeing that they have not had the opportunity to exercise their free will. However, a time comes for every human being, when they are fully aware and conscious of their decision to obey or disobey, they have reached their Garden of Eden. We know by Scripture that every person will choose to disobey, and when that moment comes to willfully disobey God’s will, they die spiritually. At this moment they become children of the devil, and if they die in their sins, their fate is sealed and will be lost forever- Romans 2:1-16; 7:7-25.
Romans 7:9-10 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.
Through God’s Word we can see why the world is all messed up. It was never God’s will for Adam and Eve to sell out to the devil and choose death over life with God. All the misery, suffering, famine, and pain is a result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. But praise God it does not end there. From the dark beginnings, comes a glorious hope of restoration, reconciliation and the elimination of sin and death in this world.
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Having sinned, Adam and Eve condemned mankind to an eternal hell along with Satan and his crowd. But not so fast, God in his infinite mercy, made a declaration that a man would be born of a woman who would crush Satan’s dominion over mankind, but in the process Satan would make it painful. Approximately, four thousand years later, God the Son became a man and his name was Jesus. As the divine God/man, Jesus defeated the devil as a man but paid an incredible price in the process through His death, burial and resurrection. Yet from the time of the promise in the garden, until the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, God had left himself with a witness for mankind to follow in order to reach out to Him as a means of salvation until Jesus would come and redeem us all.
Note: What about those people who never get an opportunity to hear about Jesus?
Foundations for Christian Living - 55 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 56 - Jesus made some incredible statements about man and finding his path to God. It is not a difficult thing for God to reveal himself to those who are sincerely seeking Him. Throughout the ages, God revealed Himself progressively to mankind. Since the beginning, God has never left himself without a witness, testifying to His existence.
God’s first witness, lowest revelation: Creation
Romans 1:19-20 Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Unfortunately, over the ages, men chose to follow evil and worship Satan- 1 Corinthians 10:20, “No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.” In the Old Testament, thousands of years ago, there are accounts of people doing horrible things like murdering and sacrificing their children in pagan rituals. In the book of Genesis, there was the account of Noah, who was a righteous man that walked in the light that he had of God; while others followed evil. Unfortunately, Noah was the only righteous one at the time.
Genesis 6:5-10 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth-men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air-for I am grieved that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
The waters covered the earth for a hundred and fifty days- Genesis 7:24. Noah, his family and the animals on the Ark where the only survivors. The ark is an example of what Jesus has done for us in that He saved us from the judgment of sin. From Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth came the decedents of the present day human population.
God’s second witness, next revelation: The Law & the Nation of Israel
Romans 2:12-16 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
God had revealed Himself to a man named Abram, who back then lived in present day Iraq. God made a covenant or a contract with Abram that through him, a great nation would be created, the present day Jewish people in the land of Israel. Through this nation God would bring the Savior of the world, Jesus! The birth of Jesus did not occur until a couple of thousand years later. Foundations for Christian Living - 57 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 58 - Genesis 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
God kept His promise and through Abraham’s lineage came a great nation. God raised a leader named Moses, through whom God presented the law of the covenant (10 commandments) and the institution of the Levitical priesthood. The regulation of animal sacrifices was used as an annual reminder that a price had to be paid to cover the sins that the people had committed. This requirement of sacrifices was meant to reveal the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus would make on the cross, in order to take away our sins- once and for all. Since the resurrection of Jesus, the old sacrificial system has been done away with since Jesus fulfilled the Law.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:1-14 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am- it is written about me in the scroll- I have come to do your will, O God.’”
First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
From the time of Moses until Jesus, the way for people to be saved was to become a Jewish proselyte and convert to Judaism. To obey the 10 commandments and observe all the Jewish customs and sacrifices. God created the nation of Israel to evangelize the world with the message that was given to them.
Isaiah 49:6 “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 59 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 60 - Unfortunately, they were not obedient to God’s directive. Instead they built a wall of religion that shunned the Gentiles as inferior and on the most part kept God all too themselves. The term “Gentile” refers to all those people who are not of Jewish ancestry. However, God kept His promise and Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the land of Judah. During the ministry of Jesus, He pointed out the failure of the Jewish race to preach the message they had. Jesus spoke of another entity that would be given this task instead. This entity Jesus spoke of is the present day Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 21:43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
God’s Final witness, the ultimate revelation: The Lord Jesus Christ
John 14:6-7 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Since the resurrection of Jesus, the gospel message of the saving grace of Jesus Christ is being preached throughout the world. In the present age we live in, the way of salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ.
Please Read Acts 17:22-31
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
As you can see throughout the ages, God has never left Himself without a witness that draws man until Himself, if man is willing to reach out to Him as Noah and Abram did. Even during the time of Israel and the Law, a great number of people were converted to Judaism and thus saved. Since the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, God’s current plan for salvation is only through faith in Jesus. Any person on the earth today, as they did throughout the ages, begins to seek to know God, He will make a way for the message of Jesus Christ to reach him/her.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Luke 11:9-10 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Before the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave us the great commission, to preach the gospel to every human being. Without hearing the gospel message and acting on it, people will be lost forever. Jesus Christ fulfilled the promise that God had made in the Garden of Eden. However, it is up to us now to spread that saving message that Jesus is the only way to be reconciled back to our creator God.
Please Read Romans 10:12-15 Foundations for Christian Living - 61 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 62 - Lesson 2 Review:
So what does the Bible teach concerning creation versus macro evolution?
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Explain the tri-cotomy of mankind, defining each part?
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What did Adam & Eve’s disobedience mean for mankind?
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Every human being is “Born into Sin,” what does that mean?
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In Genesis 3:15, God offers a solution for mankind, what is it?
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List the various witnesses God has given to mankind to know their Creator?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 63 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 64 - Bonus Material: Creation Not Evolution
The theory of evolution is just that, a theory, yet many educators act as though it is fact. The theory of evolution is that all forms of life derived by gradual modification from earlier and simpler forms or from one rudimentary form. It teaches a process in which something complex is developed by itself from a simple beginning. It accepts the existence of the cause or causes of the first substance and the force or forces working successive transformations from a lower to a higher form of matter and life.
The theory of cosmic evolution claims that from lower units of matter (atoms and molecules) the vast material suns, moons, stars, planets, and universes were formed by themselves. That of organic evolution teaches that the vegetable and animal kingdoms evolved from lower forms of life to what they are today. Evolutionists do not deny the first cause. Their theory begins with matter or substance already in existence. Yet they have no explanation of how it got there. Just like the big bang theory, they have no explanation as to what started it- in other words what got the ball rolling. In this they are silent and reduced to speculation.
True science rejects the notion: The theory that the hair is but elongated scales of pre-historic animals. The legs of all animals developed from warts on aboriginal amphibians. Eyes are but accidental development of freckles on blind amphibians that responded to the sun. Ears came about by the air waves calling to spots on early reptiles. Man came from monkeys. The vast universe came from a few molecules. Nothing working on nothing by nothing, through nothing, for nothing, begat everything.
It is the law of nature that nothing reproduces anything greater than itself. The intelligent and innumerable self-producing species of creatures, each with its own eternal and consistent traits, distinct flavors and infinite combinations of chemicals, could never be the product of unintelligent matter. Each one of the millions of creatures that reproduce their own kind by fixed and eternal laws must be the work of an all-powerful and all-wise Creator.
The Bible declares that God is the creator of everything, originally made in a perfect state all at once. Everything that was created by God was given the power to reproduce its own kind. No one thing could break this law and produce any other kind. Now, after 6,000 years the law of reproduction is still unbroken. The sponge is still a sponge and has not become an oyster, octopus, a turtle, frog, fish, or a crab. None of these have ever reproduced anything but their own kind. No lowly earth-worm has ever turned into a spider. Crossing different species has never produced a different kind that is fertile and could produce a new kind. The crossing of a donkey and a mare will produce a mule which cannot reproduce itself. No monkey has ever produced a man and the missing link is still missing and always will be.
The theory of evolution teaches transmutation, a change in nature, substance, form, and alteration of essence by a slow and gradual process of mutation from one species to another, and from lower to higher. This has never been done, nor can it be done. In nature we find endless variations with each species or kind, but no change from one species to another. Foundations for Christian Living - 65 - Without a change in species there can be no evolution. God has made life so that it interbreeds in closely related variations; and when interbreeding is attempted between different kinds of species it is found that there is an impassible gulf which cannot be crossed. Try crossing a dog with a cat, it doesn’t work, God made it that way in Genesis 1:25.
Dateless Past According to Christian doctrine, God alone is eternal. With the exception of God, the material universe, and everything else in all creation had a beginning. They were absolutely created, made “out of nothing,” by the power of Almighty God- Daniel 7:9-10.
Many of the pagan nations of the ancient world had their own creation stories. But in these stories, their gods evolved out of natural processes connected with the world itself. They believed the material universe was eternal, and it brought their gods into being. But Genesis declares that God existed before creation and is in full control of the physical universe. He called the physical world into existence out of nothing but by His own spoken word. His power is absolute. He does not have to conform to nature and cannot be threatened by it. God is sovereign and does not have to share His power with other supernatural beings.
Isaiah 46:9-11 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.
Psalms 90:2; 93:2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.
Since God created the universe out of nothing, it belongs to Him and will always serve His purpose. As He shaped creation without any interference from anyone, He will bring creation to its desired end. No power can frustrate God in His purpose to complete the process started in creation and revealed in Scripture. Our hope rests in the sovereign power of Him who created the world and then re-created us through the saving power of His Son, Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
When God looked at the dark empty expanse of the universe, He said what He wanted not what He saw.
Psalm 33:6, 9 By the word of the Lord, were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
There are trillions of solar systems beyond ours. Distances out there are measured by light-years. How far light travels in a year at the rate of 186,324 miles a second, or about 5,800,000,000,000 miles is recognized as one light-year. It takes light 400 light-years to reach us on earth from the North star; 700,000 light-years for it to reach us from the Great nebula, the galaxy nearest our own; and 500,000,000 light-years for light to reach us from the faintest galaxy seen by our telescopes.
Foundations for Christian Living - 66 -
Lesson Objective: God in One expressed in three persons- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It seems obvious that as disciples of Jesus Christ that we look closer at our creator and redeemer God. The word Theology means the study of God (theo=God, ology=study). Another word for theology is doctrine. By definition, theology is the study of the works or truths related to God presented in a logical and orderly format. Our goal is to learn more about the person, characteristics and nature of the glorious Godhead. We are also going to examine Satan’s attempt to confuse mankind with false religions and cults.
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 3: The Glorious Godhead- Introduction to the Trinity. God is one, expressed in three persons- Father, Son & Holy Spirit:
The attributes of God- Trinity, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient- Names, character of God. God the Father- introducing the Father’s heart and leadership role in the family of God. God the Son- the Word of God and executor of the Father’s will and plan. God the Holy Spirit- The seven fold Spirit of God, magnifies Jesus and the believer’s helper. Cults & False Religions- Understanding Satan’s attempt to counterfeit the truth
A. Definition of Terms
Religion- The word has negative connotations. What is the relationship between religion and theology? We understand that theology is the study of God. In contrast, religion has to do with the practice of faith; that is, the way in which we worship God.
Religion is the combination of beliefs, practices, customs and institutions through which the followers of Christ express their faith and worship to God.
Our goal as Christians is to maintain a good balance between doctrine and religion thus avoiding the extremes. Too much emphasis on theology (knowledge of God), we can become dry and lifeless with a lot of head knowledge. Yet too much religion (the practice) at the expense of theology we are in danger of becoming religious fanatics. Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about it:
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Foundations for Christian Living - 67 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 68 - B. What We Believe
Every Bible believing church has a set of core values and tenants of their faith. This is referred to as a dogma, or the expression of cardinal points of doctrine. Dogma summarizes the fundamental points of the faith. In this aspect, it is used as a positive term.
What is the relationship between doctrine and dogma? Doctrine is the revelation of God regarding a truth which is found in the Bible. Dogma is the declaration of man about this truth, expressed in a creed. For instance at our church, this is what we believe:
1. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, inerrant and inspired in its original writings; the complete and final revelation of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21
2. We believe in one God, personal and knowable, Who manifests Himself in three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4; John 6:27; Acts 5:3-4; 1 John 5:20
3. We believe that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, born of a virgin, without sin and that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried, rose again from the dead and ascended bodily to heaven. 1 Timothy 3:16; John 1:1-14; 20:30-31
4. We believe that all persons are sinners, guilty before God, deserving of judgment, and in need of a Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 3:19-26; 5:12-21
5. We believe that salvation from sin, by God’s grace, is based on the work of Jesus Christ alone, and is received by faith apart from any human performance or merit. John 14:6; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:1-10
6. We believe that all believers in Jesus Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and that He empowers those believers who obey God and separate from sinful habits and lifestyles. John 14:16-18; Ephesians 5:15-21
7. We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a subsequent experience to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, it is available to all believers, provides power to be a witness, and is evidenced by speaking in tongues and other charismatic gifts. Acts 1:8; 2:4; 10:44-48; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
8. We believe in the eternal punishment of the unbeliever in hell and the eternal life of the believer in heaven. Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; Revelation 20:11-15; John 14:1-3
9. We believe in the visible, bodily return of Christ to this earth to judge the world and to claim His bride. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 1:7
10. We believe that all believers should assemble in local churches for mutual edification, encouragement, evangelism, service and worship. Acts 2:41-47; 14:21-27; Ephesians 4:1-16
11. We believe in divine healing for the human body based on the finished work of Christ on the cross, made available through the prayer of faith. 1 Peter 2:24; James 5:14-15
12. We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of the church and should be practiced regularly. Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-10 Foundations for Christian Living - 69 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 70 - C. The Existence of God
Well you would not be in this class if you did not believe in God, so let’s provide you with a few foundational truths to further establish you in your beliefs. Nowhere does the Bible argue for God’s existence, everywhere the Scriptures assume His existence as an accepted fact- Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”. So belief in God is fundamentally an act of faith. However, God reveals Himself through three primary ways: Nature, Conscience and Revelation.
Nature: When we look at a painting we know there was a painter who made the painting. Consider a building, there was an architect or a piece of fine pottery, there was a potter- these are self-evident facts. So it is with creation, by virtue of its existence it gets our attention that there is a Creator. Only a fool would deny the obvious Psalms 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Creation points to a Powerful, Wise and Benevolent Creator.
Psalms 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
Romans 1:18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Conscience: The human conscience is a gift from God that makes us aware of moral realities of right and wrong. For the unbeliever it is not a perfect guide since it has been tainted by sin. Generally speaking it does function as a witness and can create guilt and shame; however, when overridden, in time, it becomes seared and will allow people to do all kinds of wrong with no regrets.
Romans 2:14-15 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
Revelation: As important as nature is to bearing witness to the existence of a Creator, it does not reveal His name, character or purpose for our lives. The human conscience, sheds light on some intrinsic attributes of God like free will, right and wrong, reason and intelligence. However it still falls short of showing us God’s remedy for sin. This is where the revelation of God through written form proves superior- the Bible. The Bible is God’s word for humanity, it contains details and specifics!
Romans 16:25-27 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him— to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. Foundations for Christian Living - 71 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 72 - D. The Nature of God
There is so much to discuss, but due to the scope of this series we can only touch on the highlights. We encourage you to spend the rest of your life studying the Scriptures, through prayer and worship to know and seek after God. God is a spirit being, God created us in His image as spirit beings that will exist forever. In the Amplified Bible, John 4:24, “God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
God is Light: He is a consuming fire, speaking of God’s absolute holy character and creative power. 1 John 1:5, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16; Hebrews 12:28-29
God is Love: Not that He has love, He absolutely represents, optimizes and is all that love is- 1 John 4:8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
God is Perfect: God is the absolute model of perfection, He cannot improve or make mistakes. Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
God is Personal: A personal being is one that is self-conscious, who possesses intellect, feeling and will. He is not some impersonal mist or blob in the universe that does not care about us or is indifferent. When Moses asked what God’s name was, this was the response in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” The God of the Bible stands apart from the universe as its Creator, but at the same time resides within His creation, preserving it and caring for it as a Heavenly Father- Psalms 24:1-2.
God is Self-Existent: God is the Absolute Source of all life and being, the Uncaused Cause. God is not dependent for being or essence upon any source outside Himself, thus He is Self-existent. Colossians 1:17, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
God does not Change: There is no variableness, uncertainty or change with God. He is not schizophrenic. He is all that He has declared Himself to be in His Word all the time and in every way. Consider Malachi 3:6, “I am the Lord, I change not” or Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” and look up James 1:17. We can always count on and trust God, He never fails- Romans 8:38-39; 1 Timothy 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Philippians 1:6.
God is Eternal: As stated so eloquently in Psalms 90:2, “from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Our finite minds cannot comprehend eternity, for human beings everything has a beginning and an end, but not with God! 1 Timothy 1:17, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Omnipresence- Everywhere at the same time Omniscience- All knowing, nothing takes God by surprise Omnipotent- All Powerful, there is nothing He can’t do or accomplish Sovereign- His divine will supersedes everything but not over man’s free-will Holy- He is perfect in all His ways and separate from sin- cannot stand in His presence Righteous and Just- He is the judge of the universe and established His perfect Law
What God has revealed about Himself through the Scriptures is all we have for divine revelation, yet not even spending eternity with Him will be enough time to discover all that He is- Praise God!
Foundations for Christian Living - 73 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 74 - Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
E. The Trinity of God
When you look at a traditional human family, comprised of a mom, dad and children, they are unique individuals but make up a single family, with the same last name. Overall the Trinity of the Godhead is a profound mystery, but God’s Word does give us plenty of insight into the unique members of the Godhead.
In Creation:
Genesis 1:26- Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…”
The Baptism of Jesus:
Matthew 3:16-17 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
The Great Commission:
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…
In 325 AD at Nicea, the early church fathers saw the need for a formal creed to which the Church at large could subscribe due to an influx of controversial teachings. The creed simply acknowledges what the Bible already states and brings greater attention to it.
We believe in one God – And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, light of light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father – And we believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and Son, is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.
The word “Trinity” not only means a quantity of three, but also implies a unity of three. When we talk about the Trinity, we refer to the Unity (uniqueness) of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
When the Bible refers to God being One in Deuteronomy 6:4, it was a significant religious truth because the surrounding nations worshiped many gods and had fallen into idolatry, worshiping the creation rather than the true Creator. The New Testament particularly sheds more light on the triune Godhead. We see a perfect unity of purpose and will. There appears to be a distinction in roles and responsibilities which we will now look at in more depth. Foundations for Christian Living - 75 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 76 -
A. Leadership in the Godhead
The will of God has its origin in God the Father. From Scripture we see that He exerts leadership amongst the Godhead. That does not take away from the significance of God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. For the Trinity is at all times and in all ways in perfect agreement.
1 Corinthians 8:6 Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
John 6:40 “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 4:34-35 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
Consider the Lord’s prayer and how it begins in Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…’” Everything begins with God the Father, in Him resides the will of the Godhead. On earth during Jesus’ earthly ministry, He submitted Himself to the Father’s will.
Ephesians 3:14-16 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
He may be God to the world but He is Father to us- He is a loving Heavenly Father and we are His children! You may have had a less than perfect human dad, but according to Jesus you have only one Father, He is the Father of your spirit in Matthew 23:9-10, “And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and He is in heaven.” The word ‘Abba’ in Hebrew means ‘Daddy, Daddy” like what a little child would say. The God of the universe is our Daddy God- 1 John 3:1.
Romans 8:14-17 Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Hebrews 12:9-11 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
Foundations for Christian Living - 77 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 78 - It is important to realize that God the Father did not create God the Son. All the persons of the Trinity are co-equal and co-eternal. The relationship that we see in the Bible between the Father and the Son has to do with their self-revelation to us as it relates to the redemption of mankind.
John 16:28 “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
B. The Ancient of Days
God the Father is referred to in the Bible as the ‘Ancient of Days’ who is seated upon a throne. The Old Testament in particular has many references to God the Father, while in the Gospels we see more of God the Son and in the book of Acts and epistles we see a lot of the Holy Spirit. So in the Bible we see the Trinity working together fulfilling specific roles, each complimenting the other- Please read Exodus 33:18-23
Daniel 7:9-10 As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.”
Ezekiel 1:26-28 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
Nothing has been under such attack by Satan than the deity of Jesus Christ. The incarnation of the Word of God, the Second person of the Godhead is a mystery and miracle beyond description. Where do we begin when we talk about Jesus; clearly out of all the God-Head He is revealed the most in the Bible. As a matter of fact, all the Old Testament covenants God made with man, the institution of the sacrificial system and many of the prophetic declarations were all made on behalf of Jesus and His redemptive work. Accomplished in His Death, Burial and Resurrection- 1 Peter 1:18-21.
1 Peter 1:10-12 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
John 1:29-30 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Foundations for Christian Living - 79 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 80 - Before taking on human flesh, Jesus was preexistent with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and His name was the Word of God. There are too many Scriptures to include in this study, but enclosed are a few that makes it unmistakable that Jesus Christ is Deity! As a matter of fact when Jesus made reference to this truth, the Jews wanted to stone Him for blasphemy- Jesus declared that He is the Great “I AM” and that He had appeared to Moses.
John 8:58-59 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
John 1:1-4, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Matthew 1:23 The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him “Immanuel”-which means, “God with us.”
Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Jesus came to earth to pay the penalty for our sin and pave the way for us to be reconciled back to God- 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” Jesus was born of a virgin because He pre-existed and so that His blood would not be contaminated by the fall of man. Jesus was tempted in all points just as we are, yet was without sin according to Hebrews 4:15.
Therefore, as the God Man or Son of Man, Jesus was able to represent all of humanity on the cross as God poured all the sins of the world upon Him all at once- Mark 15:34, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Sin is spiritual crime and Jesus took our place as the perfect substitute. God’s justice has been satisfied and we are free from Sin, Satan and Hell- thank you Lord!
2 Corinthians 5:21-6:1 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Foundations for Christian Living - 81 -
Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 82 - On the third day God had raised Jesus from the dead and has since gone into heaven and is currently seated at the right hand of God the Father in a place of triumph and victory. Jesus conquered Death, Hell and the Grave, once for all time. Jesus is always the expressed and manifested will of God!
Acts 10:39-41 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.”
Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
When Jesus came to earth the first time, He came as a Lamb, but the next time He will come as a Lion to rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords- that is our glorious hope we have in Him.
Daniel 7:13-14 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Bible teaches us that He is more than an influence or impersonal power; the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, worthy of our adoration, love and faith. He is not a ‘thing’ or an ‘it’ but just as real and distinct as Jesus. The Holy Spirit can be sinned against, grieved and resisted according to these passages- Matthew 12:31-32; Ephesians 4:30; Acts 7:51. You cannot do these things against an impersonal force. The Spirit of God was in the beginning during creation.
Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
During this dispensation (period of time) called the ‘Church Age’ or the ‘Age of Grace’ the Spirit of God is God’s representative on the earth while God the Father and God the Son are in heaven. As a matter of fact, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer according to 1 Corinthians 3:16. He leads us into all truth, shows us things to come, reveals God’s Word to us. He comforts us in our troubles and orders our steps and so much more- John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13; Romans 8:14.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. Foundations for Christian Living - 83 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 84 - Just as God the Father and God the Son have many distinctive names, so does the Holy Spirit. There are also symbols of the Holy Spirit that represent the unique ways in which He works.
Spirit of God- 1 Corinthians 2:11 Spirit of Christ- 1 Peter 1:11 The Counselor- John 14:26 Fire- Purification and empowerment- Luke 3:16; Acts 2:3 Wind- Work of regeneration and refreshing- John 3:8; Acts 2:2 Water- Purification, renewing and power John 4:10-14; 7:38-39 Seal- Branded by God with divine ownership- Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Anointing- Equipping for service- Acts 10:38; 1 John 2:20, 27 Dove- Speaks of the beautiful and majestic presence of God- Matthew 3:16
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would anoint and empower the prophet, priest and king. However, in the New Covenant, He anoints every believer; like Jesus was anointed, just not in the same measure- John 3:34-36; Isaiah 61:1. Isaiah 11:2 illustrates the Seven-Fold Spirit of God.
Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord
The Holy Spirit among many things is the agent of God whereby the awesome creative power of God is manifested. Just look in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and you will see the 9 manifestations of the Holy Spirit, which is God’s power in action. Whenever a person gets saved, healed, delivered or receives anything else from God, it comes through the person of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 12:28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Before Jesus left the earth, He promised that He would send another Helper, Comforter, Counselor and Advocate according to John 16:7- in the Greek the word is ‘parakletos’ which means ‘One called alongside to help’. We could not make it as Christians without the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
John 16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit from the Father to live, and abide with us forever. It is through our spirit that the Holy Spirit is going to guide us in this life. Primarily the Spirit of truth will lead us by an inward witness or intuition. It will register on our spirit as a smooth peace or unction to go ahead in a certain direction. He also leads us by an inward check, like a red light that says stop, look and listen- Romans 8:14. The Spirit of God, like Jesus, is our best friend, God’s very presence in us!
We have talked about the Spirit within the believer; there is a dual work of the Spirit of God where Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and enables us to speak in a heavenly language called Tongues according to Acts 2:4. In Acts 1:8, Jesus made this a command that every believer receive this subsequent experience to salvation- it is not an option! If you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit since you have been saved, please see us so you can receive this wonderful gift from God!
Foundations for Christian Living - 85 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 86 -
I wish that we had more time to cover this matter, but it is crucial that you realize that from the beginning of the Church in the book of Acts, Satan has until this day spared no expense to pervert, twist and distort the truth. John 8:31-32 Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The enemy wants to rob people of the truth by offering counterfeit religions or raising up cults to keep people from getting saved. These false teachings come through folks, some of which are sincere. A good portion of the New Testament deals with this subject- 2 Peter 3:16; Acts 20:29-31.
Jude 3-4 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
The central error of these cults and false religions has to do with their assessment of Jesus. In all cases they deny the Deity and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Their beliefs are nothing more than a works based system, in order to earn their way into heaven. Our best defense against error is to know the truth so well that we can spot a counterfeit miles away- this is the principle banks use to look for counterfeit money. We need to be like the Bereans, test everything we hear with the Word of God!
Acts 17:11-12 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
We define religion as that aspect of one’s experience in which he attempts to live harmoniously with the power or powers he believes are controlling the world. Religion is a universal phenomenon. Wherever man lives he is found giving some recognition to a power or powers beyond himself. The practice of religion in the world is as varied as the religions themselves- they are not the same. However, one thing is certain, what Non-Christians worship is not God according to 1 Corinthians 10:20, “No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God”
So what is a cult: It is a perversion, a distortion of biblical Christianity and a rejection of the historical teachings of the Christian church. It is a group of people polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became a man in Jesus Christ. These cults will introduce themselves as Christians but deny Christ in their teachings.
PLEASE READ: 1 John 4:1-3; Galatians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Foundations for Christian Living - 87 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 88 - False religions are obvious to recognize, it’s the cults that are subtle and dangerous, so let’s look at a couple of them. What is interesting to note in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, is that many of the cults we know today have sprung up out of nowhere over the last 200 years just as the Scripture predicted.
1 Timothy 4:1-2- The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
A. Jehovah’s Witnesses Officially known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are a product of the life work of Charles Taze Russell, born February 16, 1852, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Without any formal theological training he started a Bible class in his teens whose members made him “pastor.” In 1879 he founded the magazine Zion’s Watchtower in which he published his own unique interpretation of the Bible. There are no “articles of faith” or authoritative doctrinal statements issued by the Watchtower. Their theological views are found in their various publications, including The Watchtower and Awake. The doctrine that proceeds from these works is considered authoritative- they have their own version of the Bible- The New World Translation.
Although the Watchtower contends that the Scriptures are their final authority, we find them constantly misuse the Scriptures to establish their own peculiar beliefs. This is accomplished chiefly by quoting texts out of context while omitting other passages relevant to the subject. For all practical purposes their publications take precedence over the Scriptures.
They make it clear that they do not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity Jesus Christ is not God in the flesh but rather a created being Jesus was the arch angel Michael in his preexistent state, the brother of Lucifer The person of the Holy Spirit is denied Salvation is not a free gift based on the redemption of Jesus- rather works based The Watchtower denies the existence of hell They deny the Second Return of Jesus Christ
B. Mormonism The founder of Mormonism, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith, Jr., was born on December 23, 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. Most of the members of the Smith family soon joined the Presbyterian church, but young Joseph remained undecided. His argument was that all the strife and tension among the various denominations made him question which denomination was right. It was this conflict that set the stage for Joseph’s alleged first vision and subsequent second vision. After his death Brigham Young led the group westward to Salt Lake Valley in Utah which became their headquarters.
They believe that they are the only true church established by Jesus Christ There is no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Four works- Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price The living prophet (present leader) is more vital than their standard works listed above They do not believe in the Trinity but in many gods and that God was once a man Mormon males have the possibility of attaining godhood Jesus is like us, created first by God and then Lucifer created second- half brothers There is general salvation for mankind- no one goes to hell, works based level of glory Their history is riddled with false prophesies
Foundations for Christian Living - 89 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 90 - Lesson 3 Review:
What is the difference between “Doctrine” and “Religion” and what balance should we strive for?
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List three proofs that we have concerning the existence of God?
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Which aspects of God’s nature blows you away the most?
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Explain the central truth concerning the Trinity of God, what it represents?
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In the Scriptures there appears to be a difference in roles within the Godhead- what are they?
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Among many other things, what is the central error of Cults and False Religions?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 91 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 92 - Bonus Material: Cults and False Religions
Every book of the New Testament has some kind of reference to false teachings that originate from Satan in an attempt to distort and pervert the truth. Satan has introduced other gospels, cults like Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons that pretend to be Christians, but deny Jesus as Sovereign and Lord in order to create confusion and draw away disciples. Other false religions like Islam claim millions of followers who are deceived by a false prophet named Mohammed and secular humanism, the worship of man.
1 Timothy 4:1-5 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
Acts 20:29-31 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
2 Timothy 2:17-19- Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
The competition for the souls of men is fierce, eternity is at stake, are we equipped, trained and prepared to speak the truth of God’s Word effectively to those ensnared by Satan’s counterfeit religions? Multitudes of people have been blinded from the only true way to God and that is through faith in Jesus Christ alone! Christianity stands alone in regards to salvation being obtained as a free gift, by grace through faith according to Ephesians 2:8. All the other religions and cults are based on a legalistic works based system of earning ones way into God’s good graces.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. Foundations for Christian Living - 93 - For the disciple of Christ it is imperative that he/she become rooted and grounded in the Word of God and become committed to a local Bible believing church. This will guard against the ever present danger of deception that can lure folks away from faith in Jesus Christ alone. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” Ephesians 4:14
Please Note Primary Source: “Handbook of Today’s Religions” by Josh McDowell & Don Stewart
Jehovah’s Witnesses Today, there are a few million Jehovah Witnesses worldwide. The members are zealous and sincere and claim to accept the Bible as their only authority. However, their theology denies every cardinal belief of historic Christianity including the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, His bodily resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and eternal punishment of the wicked.
In 1879 Charles Russell the founder, started the magazine Zion’s Watchtower in which he published his own unique interpretation of the Bible. The Watchtower has this to say about itself: “It is God’s sole collective channel for the flow of Biblical truth to men on earth” (Watchtower, July 15, 1960, p 439). F.W. Frantz, president of the Watchtower, relaying how interpretations come from God, stated, “They are passed to the Holy Spirit who invisibly communicates with Jehovah Witnesses – and the Publicity Department” (Scottish Daily Express, November 24, 1954). We conclude from these statements that the Watchtower believes itself to be the organization that speaks for God in today’s world.
Source of Authority There are no “articles of faith” or authoritative doctrinal statements issued by the Watchtower. Their theological views are found in their various publications, including the Watchtower and Awake. The doctrine that proceeds from these works is considered authoritative. Although the Watchtower contends that the Scriptures are their final authority, we find they constantly misuse the Scriptures to establish their own peculiar beliefs. This is accomplished chiefly by quoting texts out of context while omitting other passages relevant to the subject. For all practical purposes their publications take precedence over the Scriptures.
2 Peter 3:16 Paul writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Trinity The Watchtower makes it clear they do not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. “The trinity doctrine was not conceived by Jesus or the early Christians” (Let God Be True, 1952, p. 111). “The plain truth is that this is another of Satan’s attempts to keep the god-fearing person from learning the truth of Jehovah and His Son Christ Jesus”( Let God Be True, p. 93).
Jesus Christ In the theological system of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus Christ is not God in human flesh, but rather a created being. “Jesus, the Christ, a created individual, is the second greatest personage of the Universe. Jehovah God and Jesus together constitute the superior authorities” (Make Sure of All Things, p. 207). “He was a god, but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah” (Let God be True, p.33). To Jehovah Witnesses, Jesus is not equal to Jehovah God. He was rather, Michael the Archangel in his preexistent state, having a brother named Lucifer who rebelled against God while he (known then as Michael) remained obedient (see J. Rutherford, the Kingdom Is At Hand, P. 49).
Foundations for Christian Living - 94 - Holy Spirit According to the Watchtower Society the Holy Spirit is not part of the Godhead. Both the personality and the deity of the Holy Spirit [defined as “the invisible active force of Almighty God which moves His servants to do His will” (Let God Be True, p108)] are denied. The personality of the Holy Spirit is consistently rejected throughout the New World Translation by not capitalizing the term “spirit” when referring to the Holy Spirit.
Salvation In Watchtower theology, salvation is not regarded as a free gift from God based upon Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. Rather, their literature stresses a salvation by works. Russell wrote, “They must be recovered from blindness as well as from death, that they, each for himself, may have a full chance to prove, by obedience or disobedience, their worthiness of life eternal” (Charles Taze Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 1, p 158). Clearly this contradicts Ephesians 2:8-9!
Everlasting Punishment The Watchtower denies the existence of hell as a place of everlasting punishment for the wicked. They argue, “The doctrine of a burning hell where the wicked are tortured eternally after death cannot be true mainly for four reasons: (1) It is wholly unscriptural; (2) it is unreasonable; (3) it is contrary to God’s love; and (4) it is repugnant to justice” (Let God Be True, p. 9). In response to this we contend that the doctrine is absolutely scriptural- 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 24:14-15.
False Prophecies According to Jehovah Witnesses they claim, “When Jesus said he would come again he did not mean He would return in the flesh visible to men on earth. He has given up that earthly life as a ransom and therefore, cannot take such life back again …The good news today is that Christ Jesus has come again, that God’s Kingdom by Him has been set up and is now ruling in heaven…all the evidence shows that Jesus took His Kingdom power and began his reign from Heaven in the year 1914” (“Pamphlet, “This Good News of the Kingdom”, pp. 19, 21). The idea that the second coming of Christ took place in 1914 is important to Watchtower theology. That was the time, they say, that God’s kingdom was fully set up in heaven. However, this was not always their teaching. Before 1914, the Watchtower was predicting that God’s Kingdom was to be set up on visibly on earth (not in heaven) in 1914!
Charles Taze Russell also stated that the world would see “the full establishment of the Kingdom of God in the earth at A.D. 1914, the terminus of the times of the Gentiles” (C.T. Russell, Thy Kingdom Com, 1981, p. 126). The prophecies made by Russell and the Watchtower concerning 1914 totally failed because the Kingdom of God was not established upon the earth. Today, as already observed, the Watchtower teaches that Christ returned invisibly in 1914 and set up His Kingdom only in Heaven. However, this notion clearly contradicts the scriptural teaching of a visible bodily return of Christ in Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:26-27; Revelation 1:7.
The Watchtower is guilty of false prophecy in wrongly predicting the date 1914 to be the return of Christ. They are also wrong is asserting His coming is secret and invisible because the Scriptures teach completely to the contrary in Revelation 1:7.
The New World Translation In 1961, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society published the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. The basic rationale for this new translation was based on their view that the mainline Christian translations have been marred by human tradition and religious thought. Not surprising, their work is a highly biased attempt to justify some of their non-biblical doctrines.
Foundations for Christian Living - 95 - For example, one of the readings of the New World Translation has caused considerable outrage among Greek scholars is its totally unsupportable rendering of the last clause of John 1:1, “The word was a god.” This translation makes Jesus Christ less than God, relegating Him to the position of a “created being” in accordance with Watchtower theology. There is not basis whatsoever for this rendering.
Conclusion A close examination of the Watchtower has demonstrated that it is not what it claims to be: the “sole collective channel for the flow of biblical truth.” It is guilty of false prophecy, anti-biblical theology, and misrepresentation of the truth.
Mormonism The first vision of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism had become the basis for the founding of the Mormon Church. In this so-called vision in the spring of 1820, in Palmyra, New York Joseph hears the Lord’s voice concerning which Christian denomination was right and which one he should join. “I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed me said that their creeds were an abomination in His sight; that those professors were all corrupt” (Joseph Smith, The Pearl of great Price, 2:18,19).
The second vision he had on September 21, 1823, Joseph claims than an angel appeared to him named Moroni. Apparently there were these hidden golden plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent:
“The fullness of the everlasting gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. Also, that there were two stones in silver bowls- and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim- deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted “seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.”
According to Joseph Smith he was directed by this so-called angel to a hill outside a village of Manchester, Ontario County, New York. Underneath a large rock he found all this stuff in a stone box. Joseph then moved to his father-in-law’s house in Harmony, Pennsylvania where, with supposedly divine help, he began to copy the characters of “Reformed Egyptian” off the plates and translate them. The translation was finally completed and placed on sale on March 26, 1830. A little over a week later, on April 6, 1830, at Fayette, New York, “the church of Christ” was officially organized with six members. The name was eventually changed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Joseph Smith supervised the first printing of the divine revelations he had received. First known as the Book of Commandments, the work has undergone significant and numerous changes and now constitutes one of the Mormons sacred works, retitled Doctrine and Covenants. Smith also worked on a revision (“divinely aided”) of the King James Version of the Bible.
Joseph and his followers experienced a lot of conflict in the beginning. Battles were fought between Mormons and non-Mormons counterparts in far West Missouri, a town founded by the Mormons. Here Smith was imprisoned along with some other Mormon leaders. After escaping, he and his followers moved to Illinois to a town Smith named Nauvoo, where he organized a small army and gave himself the title of Lieutenant-General. During this time, the Mormons were busily constructing a temple and evangelizing the populace. When a local paper, the Nauvoo Expositor, began publishing anti-Mormon material, Smith ordered the press destroyed and every copy of the paper burned- this landed him in jail.
Foundations for Christian Living - 96 - On June 27, 1844, a mob of about 200 people stormed the jail and shot and killed Joseph Smith, but not without a fight. According to church’s own account he shot several of the mob members with a gun he had (see History of the Church, 6:617-18). The Mormons considered him a martyr.
After the death of Joseph Smith the leadership went to Brigham Young, the President of the Twelve Apostles. He led the group westward in a journey which saw many hardships including Indian attacks, exposure and internal strife. On July 24, 1847 they arrived at Salt Lake Valley in Utah which became the headquarters of the Mormon Church. Currently there are only a few million worldwide.
The Claims of Mormonism The Mormons claim they are the restoration of the true church established by Jesus Christ. It is not Protestant or Catholic, but claims, rather, to be the only true church. “If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” (Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.670). What about the Christians who lived before 1820?
“No Salvation without accepting Joseph Smith…If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth…then this knowledge is of the most vital importance to the entire world. No man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrine of Salvation, pp. 189-190). The claims of Joseph Smith and his followers are clear. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints claims it is God’s true church on earth while all the others are wrong.
Source of Authority The Mormon Church has four accepted sacred works: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. The present prophet’s words are also a source of authority. The Mormon articles of faith read, “We believe the bible to be the Word of God in so far as it is translated correctly…” (Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Article 8). “Who knows that even one verse of the bible has escaped pollution, so as to convey the same sense now that it did in the original?” (Orson Pratt’s Works. 1891, p.218). Thus the Mormons put more trust in the other three sacred books, which have escaped pollution, than they do in the Bible. This opens the door for the Mormons to add their new non-biblical teachings by claiming there were doctrines deliberately removed by the Catholic Church. The claim that the Scriptures have been changed and corrupted throughout the centuries is totally false.
The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is also considered inspired: “We believe the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God” (Articles of Faith, Section Eight). The Book of Mormon is supposedly an account of the original inhabitants of America to whom Christ appeared after His resurrection.
Doctrine and Covenants Doctrine and Covenants is a record of 138 revelations revealing some of Mormonism’s distinctive doctrines such as baptism for the dead and celestial marriage.
The Pearl of Great Price The Pearl of great Price contains the Book of Moses, which is roughly equivalent to the first six chapters of Genesis, and The Book of Abraham, a translation of an Egyptian Papyrus that later proved to be fraudulent. It also contains an extract from Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible; extracts from the History of Joseph Smith, which is his autobiography; and the Articles of Faith.
Foundations for Christian Living - 97 - The Living Prophets The living prophet also occupies an important part in present-day Mormonism. In 1980, Ezra Taft Benson, who at the time was president of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, said in a speech on February 26,1980, at Brigham Young University, that the living prophet (head of the church) is “more vital to us than the standard works.” This echoed what was given to the ward teachers (similar to Christian Education Adult teachers) in 1945.
“Any Latter-day Saint who denounces or opposes, whether actively or otherwise, any plan or doctrine advocated by the prophets, seers, and revelators of the church is cultivating the spirit of apostasy…Lucifer… wins a great victory when he can get members of the church to speak against their leaders and to do their own thinking…When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan- it is God’s plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give directions, it should mark the end of the controversy (Improvement Era, June 1945, p. 354).
The Bible contradicts the Mormon reliance on multiple contradictory revelations. While the Mormon scriptures contradict each other and the Bible, the Bible never contradicts itself and the God of the Bible never contradicts Himself- Hebrews 1:1-3; Luke 24:27; John 20:31; Proverbs 30:5-6.
The Mormon Doctrine of God “We believe in God, the eternal Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost”(Joseph Smith, The Pearl of Great Price, Articles of Faith, p. 59). This statement leaves the impression that Mormons believe the biblical doctrine of the Holy Trinity- namely, there is one God who manifests Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three persons are the one God. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The Mormon doctrine of God is contradictory to what the Bible teaches. The Mormons believe in many gods and teach that God himself was once a man. Moreover, Mormon males have the possibility of attaining godhood. Joseph Smith made this clear in The King Follett Discourse:
“God was once as we are now, an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens…I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in a form like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form of a man. I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil so that you may see… You have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you” (Joseph Smith Jr. King Follett Discourse, pp. 8-10)
Other statements by Smith and Young reveal further the Mormon concept of God. “In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create and populate the world and people it (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, 6:5). Lorenzo Snow repeated Joseph Smith’s words about the Mormon idea of God, “As Man is, God was, As God is, Man may become” (Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse, p.9, note by Lorenzo Smith).
Jesus Christ The Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ was a preexistent spirit like the rest of us. Even though we are all literally brothers and sisters of Jesus, He is set apart from the rest of us by being the firstborn of God’s spirit-children. According to Mormonism, man is a preexistent soul who takes his body at birth in this world. To think we can one day be God like Jesus Christ and the Father is blasphemous. Angels and mankind have a distinct beginning unlike God who had no beginning- Romans 1:22-25.
Foundations for Christian Living - 98 - Salvation In Mormonism there is a general salvation for all mankind and an individual salvation for each person. There is, to the Mormon, no such thing as hell or everlasting punishment. Everyone will eventually go to one of three levels of glory: the celestial kingdom which is reserved for the Melchizedek priesthood members who will become gods; the terrestrial kingdom, for those who failed the requirements of exaltation; and lastly, the celestial kingdom, for those who have no testimony of Christ. John 6:28-29, Jesus made it clear that faith in Him is the only way for salvation- Hebrews 7:27; Ephesians 2:8-9.
False Prophecies The Mormon religion contains false prophecies. 2 Nephi 10:7, speaking of the Jews, predicts, “… When the day cometh that they shall believe in me that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.” The Jews are today back in their land, but do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. The prophecy is false. Joseph Smith claimed that the Lord told him the Latter-day Saints would build a temple in Zion (Jackson County, Missouri) during his generation- two prophecies about that. Well they failed because the temple was never built, the Mormons were run out of Zion and the leaders were tarred and feathered!
Conclusion When all the evidence is considered, the Mormon claim to be the restoration of Jesus Christ’s church falls to the ground. Even though is claims to be Christians, their doctrine denies it- nothing could be further from the truth.
Islam Islam is indeed a major part of Middle Eastern culture, but it is much more. The Muslim faith is a major driving force in the lives of many of the nations in the Middle East, West Asia and North Africa. The vast majority of Muslims, are not of the militant variety. The contrast between the moderate and progressive Islam of Egypt and the fundamentalistic and reactionary Islam of Iran is marked. The word Islam is a noun which is formed from the Arabic verb meaning “to submit, surrender or commit oneself.” Islam means submission and surrender, and with the translation comes the idea of action.
History of Islam The early history of Islam revolves around one central figure, Muhammad. Although the teaching of Islam is an interesting mixture of different religions, the origin of the faith is found historically in the one person Muhammad. Born around 570 A.D. in the city of Mecca in Arabia. Orphaned at age six he was raised by his grandfather and later by his uncle. At age 25, he married a wealthy 40-year-old widow named Khadijah.
The Call As Muhammad grew, his views changed. He came to believe in only one God, Allah, a monotheistic faith. He rejected the idolatrous polytheism of those around him. By the age of 40, the now religious Muhammad had his first vision. These revelations are what are recorded in the Qur’an (Koran). Muhammad was at first unsure of the source of these visions, whether divine or demonic. His wife, Khadijah, encouraged him to believe they had come from God- later she became his first convert. The Cambridge History of Islam comments on Muhammad’s revelations: Either in the course of the visions or shortly afterwards, Muhammad began to receive “messages” or “revelations” from God. Sometimes he may have heard the words being spoken to him, but for the most part he seems simply to have “found them in his heart.”
These visions marked the start of Muhammad’s prophetic call by Allah. Muhammad received these visions during the following 22 years, until his death in 632 A.D.
Foundations for Christian Living - 99 - The Hijira The new faith encountered opposition in Muhammad’s home town of Mecca. Because of his rejection in Mecca, he and his followers withdrew to the city known as Medina. The Hijira, which means “flight,” marks the turning point in Islam. All Islamic calendars mark this date, July 16, 622 as their beginning. Thus, 630 A.D. would be 8 A.H. (in the year of the Hijira). In his early years in Medina, Muhammad was sympathetic to both the Jews and Christians as well. But they rejected him and his teaching. Upon that rejection, Muhammad turned from Jerusalem as the center of worship of Islam, to Mecca, where the famous black stone Ka’aba was enshrined.
He returned to Mecca and conquered the city. Muhammad now made sure his political and prophetic ascendancy in Arabia. Active opponents near at hand were conquered by the sword, and tribes far away were invited sternly to send delegations offering their allegiance. Before his sudden death in 632, he knew he was well on the way to unifying the Arab tribes under a theocracy governed by the will of God.
After Muhammad’s Death When Muhammad died he had not written a will instructing the leadership in Islam about determining his successor. A power struggle ensued and different factions had their own ideas on a successor. One group believed the Caliph (Leader) should be elected by the Islamic leadership and others believed it should be hereditary. This struggle, along with others, produced the main body of Islam known as the Sunnis (followers of the prophet’s way) as well as numerous sects. However, the rise of Israel as a prominent power has brought renewal to a once anemic Islamic faith. Nationalism, coupled with the Islamic faith, has served a unifying element to stand against their one common enemy- Israel.
The Teachings of Islam Islam is a rapidly spreading religion for several reason. It is the state religion of Moslem countries and this gives it a strong cultural and political base. Its message is simple for common people to understand. There are no racial barriers and it makes appeals to the universal brotherhood of man.
Islamic law (Shari’a) plays a central role in all Islamic culture. The structure of the law is that civil law rather than common law is generally practiced as in England and the United States. The basis for Islamic doctrine is found in the Qur’an (Koran), it is the authoritative scripture of Islam. About four-fifths the length of the New testament, it is divided into 114 surahs (chapters). Parts were written by Muhammad, and the rest, based on the oral teaching, was written from memory by his disciples after Muhammad’s death. So the Qur’an is the Word of God in Islam, the holy scriptures.
Five Articles of Faith The five articles of faith are the main doctrines of Islam. All Muslims are expected to believe these.
God- There is only one true God and his name is Allah- the all knowing, all powerful sovereign judge. Yet Allah is not a personal God, for he is so far above man in every way, he is not personally knowable.
Angels- The existence of angels is fundamental to Islamic teaching since it was supposedly Gabriel that had appeared to Muhammad in providing the revelations that are recorded in the Qur’an.
Scripture- There are four inspired books in the Islamic faith. They are the Torah of Moses, the Psalms (Zabin) of David, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Injil) and the Qur’an. Muslims believe the former three were corrupted by Jews and Christians; since the Qur’an is more recent it supersedes the others.
Last Days- The last day will be a time of resurrection and judgment. Those who follow and obey Allah and Muhammad will go to Islamic heaven but those who oppose them will be tormented in hell.
Foundations for Christian Living - 100 - Five Pillars of Faith:
The Creed. (Kalima). “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.” Prayer (Salat). Prayer as ritual is central to a devout Muslim- five times a day while facing Mecca. Almsgiving (Zakat). Muhammad, himself an orphan- Muslims required to give 1/40th to the poor. Fasting (Ramadan). Fast from sunup to sundown each day during this holy month. The Pilgrimage (Hajj). All Muslims at least once in their lifetime to Mecca- part of gaining salvation.
Islam and Christianity Many of the Muslim beliefs come from the Bible. The historical foundation for the Qur’an comes from the Old Testament. Yet even with this influence, the differences in the beliefs of the two are striking.
God- Explicitly excludes the Trinity as taught in the Bible- God is far removed from creation. They believe in predestination and that both good and evil come from Allah- makes it hard to find a standard. To them it is blasphemous to call God your Father; their father figure is a strict show no emotions type.
Jesus- For the Christian the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the incarnate Son of God is the vital cornerstone of faith, yet the Muslim does not hold to either of these truths. In fact Muslims do not believe Jesus was even crucified; rather, many believe Judas was crucified in His place. Islam does believe Jesus was a sinless prophet although not as great as Muhammad. To Muslims, Jesus was not the Son of God but just a messenger, contrary to what the Bible teaches in John 1:14, 34. The Muslim operates under a legalistic system and must earn his salvation. Sin is a lack of obedience to Allah. Thus, man is sinful by act, not by nature which contradicts the Bible big time!
Conclusion The God of Islam is a very capricious one, too far removed from people to be personally involved or concerned- emphasized judgment to the exclusion of love, motivating people by fear rather than peace. Muhammad has based his teaching on inaccurate interpretations of the Bible. Initially Muhammad thought his revelations were demonic in origin. Islam is an aggressive and impressive world religion and was founded by a dead prophet; Christianity was founded by the risen Savior, Jesus Christ!
Secular Humanism One of the most organized, most challenging and most clearly non-Christian philosophies today is secular humanism. It is ably represented and defended by a core of prominent scientists and philosophers at the forefront of new scientific and philosophical thought. Secular humanism has its own meetings, its own “clergy” of spokesmen, its own “creed” called The Humanist Manifesto, and its own goals toward which it desires all of humanity to work. Because of its cohesive world view and strong threat to biblical Christianity it needs to be examined.
Unlike the general term Humanism which is not always anti-God, we will make a working definition of secular humanism, adapting it from the Greek philosopher Protagoras, who said, “Man is the measure of all things.” Today this view holds that man is the ultimate standard by which all life is measured and judged. Thus values, law, justice, good, beauty, and right and wrong all are to be judged by man-made rules with no credence to either God or the Bible. We identify this as secular (non-theistic) humanism (in distinction to the ambiguous and broad term humanism). Secular humanism is a collection of ideas which bind together into a coherent system. Because of this, some humanistic ideas can affect and be adapted to many different disciplines such as existentialism and communism. Our argument with secular humanism centers on its denial of the supernatural, especially as that precludes any idea of God. One can trace the roots of modern secular humanism back to the renewed emphasis on man during the Renaissance
Foundations for Christian Living - 101 - The Humanist Manifesto I & II In 1933 secular humanists, drawn together by like beliefs, ideas, and dreams, drafted the Humanist Manifesto I. It reflected the general optimism of the time immediately after World War I. Mankind was convinced it had ably weathered, in the war, the greatest evil imaginable, and that the future perfecting of humanity was now possible. In summary it dealt with 15 major themes or convictions. It asserted that the universe was self-existing and not created; that man is a result of a continuous natural process; that mind is a projection of body and nothing more; that man is molded mostly by his culture; that there is no supernatural; that man has outgrown religion and any idea of God; that man’s goal is the development of his own personality, which ceases to exist at death; that man will continue to develop to the point where he will look within himself and to the natural world for the solution to all his problems; that all institutions and/or religions that in some way impede this “human development” must be changed; that socialism is the ideal form of economics; and that all of mankind deserves to share in the fruits from following the above tenets. The conclusion to the Humanistic Manifesto I clearly reflects the anti- supernatural and optimistic, self-centered aims of its signers!
Well, back to the drawing board, World War II and Adolph Hitler rudely contradicted the unmitigated optimism of the secular humanists who signed the 1933 Manifesto. Not only had World War I failed to rout evil, but evil had reared its ugly head much more powerfully through Nazi atrocities of World War II. Having rejected the supernatural and a higher Judge in favor of the basic goodness and perfectibility of man, the secular humanists turned toward modifying their previous statements. The thrust of the new Manifesto, published in 1973, is much more aggressive than that of the first. No longer content to let basically good mankind evolve naturally toward his zenith, the secular humanists now have a consuming drive to help accomplish that transformation as quickly as possible. Let’s look quickly at the six groups:
Religion: Humanists start and end with man, there is no God. Their philosophy is rooted in nature, science and technology as their saviors. Yet the simple fact of logic cannot be escaped, with anything created there has to be a creator. The Potter & Clay- Romans 1:18-32; Psalms 14:1; Psalms 19:1-4
Philosophy: Private interpretation of ethics and reason make up the humanistic philosophy that is purely situational- a moving target to be conveniently changed at will. Centering around the self-sufficiency of man. However, if moral values are determined from human experience, there is no objective basis for calling anything right or wrong! How can we then condemn Nazi Germany from murdering millions! Christianity asserts that there is absolute good and absolute evil- Luke 18:19; John 17:17; Acts 17:24-28.
Mankind: The secular humanist position of relative moral values is almost the watershed for critiquing humanistic tenets. With no absolute ethic, why should we accept the humanists’ moral value that the individual person is precious and deserves dignity in his own right? They may decide on certain forms of behavior as right or wrong, but the fundamental axiom of their philosophy denies them the right to impose that view on others since everything is inherently relative to the individual. God’s Word is our final authority for all matters that pertain to life and conduct- Romans chapter 7; 13:8-10.
Society: The humanist does not believe that man needs saving, their definition of society is by self- determination. The individual “must experience a full range of civil liberties to enhance freedom and dignity.” Very broad applications can be made from euthanasia, suicide to abortion; these actions are based on individual rights to self-expression and happiness- my question is where does it end? Secular humanism asserts that everyone is basically good, evil comes from society rather than from within. Christianity makes it plain, man is a sinner by nature in need of a Savior- Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:10.
Foundations for Christian Living - 102 - One-World Government: Adopting a one-world government would commit us to “some hard choices.” In the humanists mind, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” In order to establish a Utopian government, sacrifices will have to be made, like anyone who disagrees with them! Sounds just like the perfect rationale for the antichrist to excuse his atrocities- force as a means to an end.
Science: Somewhere in science and technology, they say, lies the solution to the problems of mankind. It appears that the humanists rely on science and its evolution to provide the magic formula needed to materialize the new world order. Sinful human nature, when left to its own devices will bring hell on earth not Utopia, as they will painfully find out during the Tribulation Period- Revelation 9:20-21.
One World Religion- Secular Humanism & Moral Relativism One primary reason that secular humanism is of such interest to Christians today is that it will be the driving philosophy of the antichrist to unite the whole world under one banner- Revelation chapter 13. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4- “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (The Second Advent) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (antichrist) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Moral relativism is the view that ethical standards, morality, and positions of right or wrong are culturally biased and therefore subject to a person’s individual choice. We can all decide what is right for ourselves. You decide what’s right for you, and I’ll decide what’s right for me. Moral relativism says, “It’s true for me, if I believe it.” There are no moral absolutes, it becomes a matter of personal preference and the result is total confusion. Studies indicate 75% of American college professors currently teach that there is no such thing as right and wrong. Rather, they treat the questions of good and evil as relative to “individual values and cultural diversity.”
Moral relativism is a world view which goes hand in hand with the philosophy of evolution, for evolution teaches that life is accidental, without meaning or purpose. Therefore, anything you do is OK, because it ultimately doesn’t matter- so go ahead and act like an animal. If you believe we are created, however, moral relativism cannot work. Creation implies a Creator. All things created are subject to a set of laws, whether natural or divine. Moral relativism says anything goes …but does it? Is it better to torture a child, or to hug that child? C.S. Lewis points to the nature of most quarrels as a clue to what we truly believe. Inherent in those quarrels is a concept of fairness, as in “how would you like it if someone did that to you?” When we make that statement, we are appealing “to some kind of standard of behavior [we] expect” the other person to know about. Where do you think that standard originates from?
Psalms 36:1-4 An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.
Judges 21:25 NKJV In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Proverbs 21:2 NKJV- Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Foundations for Christian Living - 103 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 104 -
Lesson Objective: The subject of prayer is so vital to the disciple of Jesus Christ that we have dedicated an entire lesson to this area. Even though it’s such a comprehensive subject, we will be able to cover the main points. I would venture to say that your concept of prayer may be different than the material presented in this lesson. With that being said, I would encourage you to have an open mind and pay close attention to the Scriptures that will be covered in this lesson. The purpose of this class is to get you started in the right direction; you have the rest of your life to further discover the wonderful world of prayer.
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 4: All Kinds of Prayer- a guide to communicating with God. Prayer is our life-line to the throne of God:
What is prayer? Communication with the Father God by the Spirit in Jesus Name Claiming the Precious Promises- Entering into God’s provision for our lives Effective Prayer- Faith, Hope & Love- the cornerstones to a powerful prayer life All kinds of Prayer- Bonus Material: Study the various modes and operations of prayer
A. Communication with God
Through Jesus Christ we can have fellowship, talk and commune with God. In the very beginning when man was created, God would come and fellowship with Adam and Eve. All relationships have a foundation in communication. When we get together with those we love, there is often dialogue isn’t there? The God of the universe has honored us with the privilege to have precious conversation and communion with Him. From what we see in the Scriptures, God enjoys spending time with His creation, He really enjoys engaging in dialogue with us!
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Sin caused our wonderful communication line with our Creator to be cut off! Unfortunately, it was man’s sin that destroyed our relationship and ability to talk with God. So the solution to restoring our ability to commune with God is to take care of the sin problem. That is exactly what God did, through Jesus Christ our sins have been wiped out by His blood and we have been adopted back into God’s family as children of God according to Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 3:1 among others!
Foundations for Christian Living - 105 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 106 - Romans 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
When children come home from school, most parents ask them how their day went. If not so well, the natural thing to do is place a comforting arm around them and love on them. How much more our heavenly Father wants to love on you and me when we deal with struggles in this life! That is what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” When we have issues that concern us, then it concerns Him- tell Him about it. When we talk to people about our problems we may feel better, but God has the power to do something about them! God always has time for us, according to the Bible we are not a bother.
1 Peter 5:7 AMP Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
It is so sad that many Christians resort to prayer as their last hope, “Oh it has finally come to that, we should pray about this.” Prayer should be the first thing we do instinctively in all matters, good, bad and ugly. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Prayer should not just be confined to thanking God for our food or a 10 second prayer before we go to bed. That is a start when we are a babes in Christ, but God wants us to become highly developed in the art of prayer!
James 5:13-16 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Prayer is our life-line to the throne of God, we should be in contact with our God throughout the day. It does not have to be long prayers, just stay in continual communion with Him. For instance I’ll be at my desk at work and I’ll just take a couple of minutes thanking Him for the day. I will be on the road heading home and I will pray in tongues and worship God with a song. If I see an ambulance with its lights on, I lift the person up in prayer for God’s healing and preservation. Do you see what I mean, it’s meant to be a lifestyle that we do all the time- it becomes as automatic as breathing.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Foundations for Christian Living - 107 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 108 - When you pray, just talk normal, God is not impressed when we try to act religious or speak in Old English. God wants us to keep it real, He wants us to be honest and upfront with Him, He knows what we are going through. Also remember, that faith pleases God according to Hebrews 11:6. Therefore, when we cast our cares upon Him, remind Him of what His Word says, boast about our God, “There is no God as big as Ours!” - He loves that according to 1 Corinthians 1:31-2:1, “Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’” It’s not that God needs His ego boosted, it’s for our benefit! The bigger we make God in our situation, the smaller the problem becomes. The more we emphasize the problem the bigger it gets and the smaller God becomes as our deliverer.
Isaiah 43:25-26 NKJV “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted.”
You may be wondering, so what do I pray about? Everything! God wants to hear it all, your thanksgiving, praise, requests, chit-chat, cares, dreams etc. God loves you, as His child He loves to spend time with you, so please don’t deny Him that quality time He deserves- Isaiah 62:5 “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” So when we look at prayer as communication, we understand that concept. We also understand that for any relationship to remain fresh and healthy, there needs to be continual communication- so it is with God!
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
He is continually talking to us- are we listening. Communication is not a one way street. More important to talking there is listening- Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.” God speaks to us primarily through His Word- the Bible is God speaking to us. He speaks through a still small voice in our spirit that enlightens our mind with impressions of love and grace- 1 Kings 19:12. He speaks to us through other believers which is another reason why going to Church is so important. There are numerous ways that He speaks to us, but ALWAYS use God’s Word to confirm and ensure that it is God speaking and not the enemy.
Why would God have so much interest in you and me, humbling isn’t it? Remember it was God’s idea from the beginning; the world might not think we are worth much, but the God of the Universe died a horrible death on a cross for us- that is where our eternal priceless value comes from. So it’s kind of a no-brainer that He wants to talk with us, we are always on His mind!
Psalms 139:17-18- How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Remember when we talked about sin, how it cuts the communication line with God. For the Christian, we are in a continual process of development- in this life we are always under construction. So when we sin, our fellowship with God is cut not our relationship- we are still children of God. However, we need to restore our fellowship with God by being quick to forgive, quick to repent and quick to obey His Word! We have a promise in 1 John 1:9 where the blood of Jesus is applied to provide forgiveness for those sins we confess to God and restore our communication line with Him. Foundations for Christian Living - 109 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 110 -
The Bible teaches that all the promises are ‘Yes’ in Christ. Many of God’s promises are conditional in that we have to believe God and act in faith. Take the area of finances for example, we need to first give money into His kingdom and then God will multiply it. Learning to receive from God is not rocket science, but it does take time to learn how the principles work. Often times, the only limitation is our faith- Mark 9:23, “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
2 Corinthians 1:18-20 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.
2 Peter 1:2-5 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
A. Good God vs. Bad Devil
A simple theology that often gets complicated by well-meaning folks. John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” So if the thief comes “ONLY” to harm, the implication is obvious that Jesus has come “ONLY” to give us abundant life. I wish that I had more time to explain this. Realize this, if we are confused in regards to God’s nature to bless and Satan’s nature to curse our prayers can be hindered.
Hosea 4:6- “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”
Consider this, if we are of the belief that God purposely sends bad times into our lives like sickness and disease, a lost job, trouble in the home etc. to try teach us something then we won’t be inclined to pray to correct those problems. Rather we would allow them to run their course so we can become more humble or something- wouldn’t want to be praying against God’s will for our lives, right? I am being a little sarcastic here; if you as a parent would not purposely make your child crippled in order to teach them some esoteric spiritual truth, neither would your heavenly Father. Tornados, flooding and hurricanes are not an act of God, but often the work of Satan or the result of this fallen world groaning under the weight of sin- Romans 8:19-22.
Luke 13:16 “Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham , whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
God is a good God, and everything He does is just and perfect. The Bible warns us of being deceived according to James 1:16 in believing a lie that God is the author of evil when the Devil is. Only good and perfect gifts come from our heavenly Father for His children. Certainly God judges evil men and will bring unimaginable judgments upon a rebellious world in the future, but right now we are talking about how God deals with His children in this lesson. Foundations for Christian Living - 111 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 112 - Matthew 7:9-11 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
James 1:16-18 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
B. Establishing God’s Will on the Earth through Prayer
There is a whole side of prayer that involves ministering unto the Lord through sweet fellowship and communion. Thank God for that devotional side to prayer. Yet as ambassadors of Christ we are called to be change agents in the earth. Earthen vessels through which God’s will for humanity is manifested. Prayer releases the power of God for the salvation of souls, defeating the forces of darkness and establishing God’s kingdom on the earth.
Ezekiel 22:30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
God is certainly Sovereign and there are events in our human history and future events that will occur regardless. Yet God has chosen men and women in the past to establish covenant as an entry way into the affairs of mankind- like Abraham, Moses, David, and even Jesus Himself as the Son of Man. The Holy Spirit uses the believer to intercede (stand on behalf of another) for others in tongues, praying the perfect will of God on their behalf.
1 Timothy 2:1-5 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
It seems that God needs human representatives on the earth to work through and fulfill His plans and great purpose for mankind. God wants to use you and me as His ambassadors to manifest His kingdom throughout the earth- Prayer is a primary means by which this is accomplished.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Jesus also intercedes for us according to Romans 8:34!
Foundations for Christian Living - 113 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 114 -
A. Keys to a Successful Prayer Life
Just as in sports there are different kinds of rules that govern the play of each sport, so it is with the different kinds or forms of prayer in the Bible. Just as chaos would ensue if I tried to play Basketball with Hockey rules or Golf with Football rules, so it is with prayer. For our prayers to be effective we need to follow the principles of God’s Word as it instructs us how to pray in relation to the different ‘kinds’ of prayers. I hate to do anything in vain, especially when it comes to prayer.
Psalms 127:1- Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
When it comes to prayer we want to avoid the ‘Traditions of Men’ as it pertains to prayer. Unfortunately, in this area of prayer there is a lot of misunderstanding and as a result, a lot of unanswered prayers that causes a lot of confusion and frustration among believers. It’s like dad at Christmas time trying to assemble the kids toys without using the instructions. Let’s go to God’s instruction book, the Bible and see how God would have us pray so we can receive the results He desires for us- God’s Word works when we follow it as directed! Matthew 15:9, “They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”
B. Faith, Hope and Love
1Cor. 13:13- And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Hope To have an effective prayer life we must have Faith, Hope and Love working in our lives! Let’s begin with Hope. It is the starting point, it’s why we believe in the first place- Colossians 1:5, “The faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven.” Hope is the goal, the dream and the target for our faith. It was the hope of heaven that motivated us to be saved. So Hope is the reason for our prayer and it is always future tense. Romans 4:17-22; Titus 1:2.
Romans 8:24-25 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Bible hope is not like the world’s definition, just as the world has a perverted definition of love, so it is with hope and faith. With unbelievers, hope is a wish, it might happen, a long shot or a slim chance- there is much uncertainty with their view of hope. For the Christian, Bible hope is guaranteed, a sure thing because it is based on the promises of God who does not lie! The Bible definition of hope is ‘Eager Expectation’- Philippians 1:20, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed.”
Hebrews 6:18-19 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Upon hearing the promise of God, Hope springs up from the Bible to inspire us to believe God. It also gives us the endurance to wait patiently for the promise to be fulfilled- the blueprint for faith. Foundations for Christian Living - 115 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 116 - Faith The goal of faith is to take the blueprint of Hope, the promise of God and make it a reality. Faith is always ‘Present’ tense, faith is ‘Now!’ The whole purpose of faith it to take the unseen, and make it seen. To manifest in our lives the realities of God in the spiritual realm in our life and others. Like Hope and Love this is a huge subject, many books have been dedicated solely to the subject of faith, we only have time to cover the basics.
Hebrews 11:1 AMP NOW FAITH is the substance, assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
Faith begins where the will of God is known, and God’s Word is God’s will. This is where faith always begins, with the Word of God! The Bible is God speaking to me! Jesus is the Word of God and as such is the express will of the Father God. If “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” according to 2 Timothy 3:16 and Romans 10:17 NKJV states that “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” When I hear God’s Word, the force of faith, God’s power comes into my spirit to cause me to believe- this is what eventually brings the promise to pass.
1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.
God’s Word contains the Grace of God which is the power of God at work in us who believe. Just as we were saved by God’s grace through our faith in the gospel message according to Ephesians 2:8-9, we continue to receive from God the same way- it does not stop with salvation.
Acts 20:32 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
It is impossible to have faith without God’s Word. The goal is to hide the Scriptures in our hearts by meditating on the Word- speaking it out loud so we can hear it. This principle is referred to as the ‘Word of Faith.’ When we first hear the promise of God in the Bible, we have what is called ‘Mental Assent’ by which we intellectually acknowledge the existence of God’s promise for our life. That is not enough; however, by continually speaking the promise over and over again through repetition, it will find its way into our spirit- that is when we believe with our heart. Confessing the Word is not praying to God, it is a process of speaking the Word of God over and over again until it renews our mind. God’s Word is spiritual seed according to Mark 4, it grows in our heart Luke 17:21.
Romans 12:2- Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 10:8-11 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Foundations for Christian Living - 117 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 118 - God’s Word is the cure for doubt, we cannot have doubt concerning the promises of God and expect to receive. We all start with doubts, but as we continue to meditate on the promise, faith in God’s Word will replace our doubts with a bold confidence that the world can’t take away.
James 1:6-8 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Romans 4:17-22 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed — the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
In time when the harvest of God’s Word occurs in our spirit according to Mark 4:26-29 then God’s Word transforms from the ‘Word of Faith’ to the ‘Spirit of Faith’ and that is when the manifestation or fulfillment takes place. For Jesus, whenever He spoke it was always the ‘Spirit of Faith’ and things happened quite quickly. For us we have to operate first in the ‘Word of Faith’ to get God’s Word in our heart, then in time (could be months) we can operate in the ‘Spirit of Faith.’
2 Corinthians 4:13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak…
This is often where we miss it, we become impatient, and want it NOW! The farmer who sows wheat knows it takes time for a harvest and the conditions need to be right. So it is with exercising faith in God’s Word. Remember, ‘Delay does not mean denial’ since we know it takes time. God’s Word will not return void in Isaiah 55:11- as long as we do not nullify our faith with fear, doubt or unrepentant sin. In the book Daniel 10:10-13, Daniel had prayed and according to Gabriel, the answer was given immediately, but the message was delayed for 21 days due to spiritual warfare in the earth’s atmosphere. Just giving ‘Faith’ a try will not work, it must be a committed lifestyle!
Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Avoid vain repetition, just before giving us the ‘Model’ prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus made an important statement about not asking for the same thing over and over again- this is vain repetition and will not result in answered prayer. When we ask by the ‘Spirit of Faith’ we already believe the promise in our heart through much time spent in meditation. Now we receive by asking God or speaking to the problem one time and that ends and settles the matter- Mark 11:23-24; Luke 17:6.
Matthew 6:7-8- And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Foundations for Christian Living - 119 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 120 - Love
Walking in love is absolutely crucial to a successful prayer life. If we think that we can treat other people any way we like and expect our prayers to be effective, we have another thing coming! Walking in Love is the greatest of all spiritual endeavors according to 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It is through love that Faith works and Hope has a cause.
Galatians 5:6 AMP …but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.
1 Peter 3:7 AMP … in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]
When we walk in love by obeying God’s Word and manifesting the fruit of our re-created human spirit, our spirit is free from sin and anything that would contaminate our hearts from receiving and producing the Word of God in our lives. Please refer to the parable of the sower and the different conditions of the heart in Mark chapter 4. When we sin our own heart condemns us; that’s when we know we need to ask for forgiveness, until then our faith and prayers are hindered.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
1 John 3:21-23 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
If we are in strife with other people, the Scriptures make it clear that we must reconcile ourselves and forgive other people. If we allow ourselves to be governed by our feelings and get easily offended, we are going to have trouble in our Christian walk. In Ephesians 4:26-27 it warns us not to give into anger towards other people, because it gives the Devil an open door into our lives. In order for our faith to work in our prayer lives we must learn to walk in love towards other people- all people. We may hate what they do, but we are obligated to love the person and hate the sin.
Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
James 4:1-2 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.
Mark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 121 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 122 - Prayer does not change God because God does not change, prayer changes us and the circumstances around us; through Faith, Hope and Love!
1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
C. Asking vs. Claiming
This is where a lot of potential confusion can take place. Sometimes we find ourselves asking for things that we already have. We should be appropriating our inheritance through faith for things God has already given us through the redemption that Jesus obtained for us. For example, when it comes to wisdom, God says to ask:
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Yet when it comes to healing, it has already been provided, it just needs to be applied through faith! I like to use the ‘Car Keys’ analogy. If I give you my car keys because you need to borrow my car and the next minute you ask me again for my car keys I will say “I already gave you the keys to my car.” If you persist in asking me for something I already gave you, well eventually I will get a little frustrated with you. When we ask God to heal us when He already did so 2,000 years ago, “by His stripes we were healed” according to 1 Peter 2:24, we are praying when we should be proclaiming what is already an established fact- redemptive provision just needs to be appropriated by speaking the Word on the matter.
1 Peter 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
When it comes to the New Birth, the sinner need only confess Jesus as their Lord and believe in their heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. When it comes to redemptive issues, Confession brings Possession! God has done all He is going to do about our sin- Jesus said it is ‘Finished’!
The Curse of the law is summed up in- Poverty, Sickness and Death
Galatians 3:13-14, 22 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. So that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Whatever we have been redeemed from, we do not have to ask God for it- just claim it through faith in God’s Word in Jesus name! The price has been paid, the gift has been given, all that is left for us to do now is to just receive and enjoy it- Luke 17:21, “because the kingdom of God is within you.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 123 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 124 - D. Beware of Experiences
There is an old saying that goes as follows, “You can have 10 miles of trials and not grow an inch if in the midst of those trials you did not act on God’s Word.” There is a huge danger for believers to build doctrine on their experiences. If something goes well, it must be God’s will, if something does not work out, it must not be God’s will- that is dangerous! The devil can have a field day with that by shaping a believer’s theology by their five senses, by their experiences.
When we read the story of Jesus telling His disciples to cross the lake of Galilee in Mark 4:35-41, that was the will of God based on what Jesus had told them to do. Yet Satan came and produced a storm in an attempt to drown them. If I were to use experiential theology I would say, “Well it must not have been the will of God for them to cross over because of the storm.” We know as we pursue God’s will for our lives the enemy will try to stop us. Our response- follow in Jesus’ footsteps and rebuke the storm! Notice Jesus rebuked the disciples for being afraid. Fear, worry and anxiety is our enemy and we should resist it like we resist the devil because they are one and the same. As a matter of fact the Bible says many times to, ‘Fear Not’ or ‘Don’t be Afraid’ for good reason. According to Romans 14:23, fear is a temptation to doubt God, and when yielded to is sin. Adam and Eve, after they had sinned in the Garden of Eden, the first thing they experienced was fear- Genesis 3:10.
Another ‘experience’ example, in Jesus’ hometown, the locals remembered Him as ‘The Carpenter’ and would not accept Him as their Messiah or Savior. Jesus, being God in the flesh ‘Could not do any miracles’ among them. The Bible did not say ‘Would Not’ but that He ‘Could Not’, even though He wanted to- due to the people’s ‘Lack of Faith’. Wait, I thought God was sovereign and could do anything He wanted to. Are you saying that a ‘Lack of Faith’ could be a reason for people not to receive from God even though it was His will- YES, just one reason among others! When we study the gospels, we see numerous references that Jesus contributes folks receiving from Him due to the individual’s faith. It was and always will be God’s will for people to have life and that more abundantly.
Mark 6:5-6 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
God’s will is based on God’s Word and it does not change- Mark 13:31, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Jesus said in Mark 9:23 that “Everything is possible for him who believes.” So we have God’s established will represented by the Bible, now all we have to do as believers in Jesus Christ is just believe what is written in it. If we fail to receive from God through prayer, don’t give up, we are not a failure until we quit. As it takes time for a farmer to become skilled in his trade, so it takes time for believers to become trained in the art of prayer- we have a lifetime to learn. If our prayers were not answered, and they were based on the Word of God, it’s not because it was not God’s will. We just need to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) to find out where we missed it, make the adjustment(s) and try again. Unfortunately, many Christians will spiritualize their bad experience and rationalize it as “Just not God’s will.” Please don’t go there my friend; too many traditions of men floating around as it is. According to Romans 3:3-4, just because someone else does not get healed does not make God a liar or His Word untrue. It was His will for them to be healed just as it is His will for lost folks to get saved. Just because people die and go to hell does not change my belief that it is God’s will for them to be saved- those folks for whatever reason did not receive Jesus. When Christians don’t receive the promises of God in their lives, there is always a reason, but not that God or His Word ever failed or God has changed His mind.
Foundations for Christian Living - 125 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 126 - God is not schizophrenic, nor does He give and then take away- you won’t find Scripture in the New Testament to support that. If God were always changing His mind, how could anyone have any faith or confidence in a moving target? No the Scriptures make it plain that God is the same and does not change just as we looked at in our previous lesson concerning the nature of God. It is true that God is ‘Sovereign’ according to Scriptures as they are correctly interpreted; however God will not:
Break His Covenants- Deuteronomy 7:9 or Violate an individual’s free will- Dt. 30:19 Lie or change His mind- Numbers 23:19 or Allow His Word to fail- Isaiah 55:11
Romans 3:3-4- What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar.
So why do bad things happen to good people. We are not always going to know the secret things in folks hearts, but we do know that we have an adversary, the devil looking for whom he may devour, but the Bible tells us to resist him- James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9. Sometimes people are just reaping what they have been sowing- Galatians 6:7. If we find ourselves giving into fear, worry and anxiety, that gives power to the enemy- Job 3:25. If we are living in habitual sin, harboring bitterness, pride, wrath etc. bad things will happen. It’s not God’s will for us to suffer the consequences of sin any more than it was for the Israelites to have suffered the consequences of sin and unbelief in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. We are not always going to know why, but we have God’s Word that keeps the record straight. Proverbs 21:23 “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
Luke 13:1-5 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
1 Corinthians 11:30-31- That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.
E. Trouble Shooting our Prayers When it comes to prayer, there is certainly an element of timing, so having done all to stand, stand. Through faith and patience we will inherit the promises. However there are times when we get to a point where we pray and pray, but get no results. This is when we need to conduct a diagnostic check:
Are my prayers founded on God’s Word and am I expecting results? Am I being specific with God- we reap what we sow, vague prayers are not effective. Are my motives pure in the matter and have I cast all my cares upon the Lord? Am I walking in love and forgiving others? Am I living in purity- applying the blood of Jesus often according to 1 John 1:9? Am I willing and obedient to follow God’s will and direction for my life- seek His kingdom? Have I overloaded my faith in the matter? I may need to involve others. Ask God for wisdom and counsel. The Holy Spirit is a great teacher. Matthew 6:7- Avoid repetitious prayers- praying the same thing over and over again. Am I using praise and thanksgiving in my prayer life? Foundations for Christian Living - 127 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 128 - Lesson 4 Review:
How would you summarize the subject of Prayer?
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What severs our prayer life and how can it be restored?
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Explain the “Good God vs. Bad Devil” principle and how it relates to prayer?
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Does God use us to establish His will in the earth through prayer?
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List some of the principles that make for effective prayer?
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We can learn from experience, but what is an inherent danger as it pertains to prayer?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 129 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 130 - Bonus Material: All Kinds of Prayers
We pray because we are in continual need of God’s grace- His power at work in us who believe. Communicating with God as we have just covered is pretty much just speaking from our heart to God. Fellowshipping with God is at the heart of prayer. Now we turn our attention to another side of prayer that addresses getting things done or accomplishing things in this life through the power of prayer. We are going to be looking at ‘All kinds of Prayers’ in the Bible.
Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
1) The Prayer of Petition
By far the most frequent prayer of Christians is the prayer of petition. We should only be asking the Father for something when the Scriptures direct us to- consider James 1:5-8. When we pray the prayer of petition, always ask the Father in the Name of Jesus- going to the throne of grace. The prayer of petition primarily concerns an individual’s desires, needs, and problems. It’s when we do the praying, not someone else praying for us or agreeing with us in prayer.
Yet there are Scriptures that in the Greek, the word for “ask” is actually rendered as “strictly a demand for something due.” Not that we demand of God, rather we are placing a withdrawal on the provisions of the Covenant or demanding the devil to back off.
Matthew 21:22 “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
The prayer of petition must be a prayer of faith. When we pray the prayer of petition, we are believing that we have received it. If we will do that, we will have what we ask for. God is concerned about our needs and He wants to meet them for us, so He gave us all those precious promises for us to claim.
Jesus said in John 16:23, “In that day you will no longer ask (make a claim for what has already been provided) me anything.” At that time Jesus was talking in reference to His resurrection, when He had purchased our eternal redemption. As children of God, we can go directly to the Father through Jesus- Ephesians 2:18 “For through Jesus we both have access to the Father by one Spirit”.
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 16:23-24 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Foundations for Christian Living - 131 - 2) The Prayer of Consecration
In the Garden of Gethsemane Christ prayed the prayer of submission, consecration, and dedication- Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus wanted to do what the Father had called Him to do. It was not a prayer of petition. It was not a prayer to get something or to change something. It was a prayer of consecration and submission.
When we consecrate our lives for God’s use, to go anywhere and do anything He wants us to do, we pray this kind of prayer. In a prayer of consecration and dedication we pray, “If it by your will…” When it comes to changing things or receiving something from God however, we do not pray, “If it be your will,” because we already have God’s Word concerning it. We know it is His will that our needs be met.
3) The Prayer of Worship
The prayer of worship is about spending time in fellowship with God. We are not asking for anything in particular. Consider Mary, the sister of Lazarus who sat at the feet of Jesus, who just spent quality time with Him. This is time where we minister to the Lord and just tell Him how much we love and appreciate Him. Not only do we need to minister to the Lord in our individual prayer lives, but we also need to do it as a group- Acts 13:1-4.
The prayer of worship is also conducted by taking time to wait on God in His presence. Not saying anything, but just sitting before Him in reverence and awe. Notice that in Acts 13:3 that they fasted, abstained in order to focus on the Lord and quiet their body and mind. Jesus said that the Father is looking for those who would worship Him in spirit and in truth- John 4:23-24.
Then there is praising and worshiping God in the spirit, speaking in other tongues- Ephesians 5:19
1 Corinthians 14:15-18 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
We have such an awesome privilege to have fellowship with Almighty God. He made man for His own pleasure. It is true that God is concerned about us and wants to meet our every need, but our highest destiny in life is to express our love, worship, and fellowship with Him who is so worthy. We are born of God and He is our Father. No earthly parent ever enjoyed the fellowship of his children more than God enjoys the fellowship of His sons and daughters.
Sometimes there are services where we are not going to petition God to do anything. We are coming as a group to wait on the Lord- to minister to Him and to worship Him- remember that this is a type of prayer. We are not just talking about ten minutes, perhaps an hour or more. This is so foreign to our western way of thinking, we get so antsy and fidgety that we miss one of the greatest privileges and blessings available to us as Christians. This time is to minister to the Lord, praise Him, tell Him how much we love Him, and thank Him for His goodness and mercy.
With hearts full of love and praise, yielded to the Lord, the Holy Spirit can manifest Himself and make known God’s will and leading for His children’s lives. There are times in our lives and ministry that only the prayer of worship will get the job done. Foundations for Christian Living - 132 - 4) United Prayer
This kind of prayer taps into the awesome resources of the corporate anointing. All through the early Church, they continually joined together in prayer with dramatic results.
Acts 4:23-31 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God… “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
United prayer is everyone praying at once in a Holy Spirit orchestrated melody of prayer unto God. Nowhere in the New Testament will you find a reference to someone leading in prayer; however, the Bible says that they lifted their voices. They all prayed at once, and they all prayed out loud. Yet their praying was for something specific. They were definite in their praying. They were not praying some generalized prayer; they were praying about the need that faced them, and they all prayed at once.
Did you notice that after Peter and John returned from being threatened by the religious leaders that they did not ask the Lord to remove the persecution or to strike down their enemies? They had not asked the Lord to make their way easy. Instead they had prayed that in the midst of persecution they might preach the Word with boldness, and the Lord had answered their prayer.
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
If we would learn to get together and pray “with one accord,” then we will see the power of God released to bless many. Let it be said of us as it was said of the Apostle Paul, and his company in Acts 17:6, (KJV) “These that have turned the world upside down are come here also...”
Remember, at the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:1, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.”
How about Paul and Silas who had been thrown in jail in Philippi after being severely flogged and placed in stocks for preaching the gospel. Instead of having a pity party and complaining to the Lord about what had happened to them, they lifted their voices to the Lord in songs of praise. They were obviously praying out loud because the prisoners heard them. They were not off in some corner mumbling quiet, forlorn pleas to God. The prisoners heard them as they sang praises unto God.
When Paul and Silas joined forces in prayer and praise to God, the very foundations of the prison were shaken! The stocks came off their feet, and the prison doors flung open wide.
Acts 16:25-26 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.
Foundations for Christian Living - 133 - 5) The Prayer of Commitment
Do you sometimes pray about a problem with seemingly no results? Unanswered prayers usually are due to us not praying in line with God’s Word. Often there are times when we need to pray the prayer of commitment. Peter talked about this kind of prayer when he said in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” The Amplified translation of the Bible states, “Casting the whole of your care- all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all- on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully.”
What a privilege that we can cast our cares upon the Lord in prayer!
If people would just pray this prayer of commitment, it would eliminate some of the things they are praying about! Some people’s prayers are not answered because they are not doing what God said to do about cares, anxieties, worries, and concerns. Other Christians seem satisfied to think that God knows and understands all about their problems- but they still cling to these cares. Therefore, they don’t get their prayers answered. It is not enough to know that God understands and is concerned. We must do what He said to do if we want to be delivered from our problems. Cast all your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries upon Him, for He cares for you. This is the prayer of commitment- the prayer of casting or rolling our cares and burdens upon Him.
Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this.
Some may request, “Pray that the Lord will lighten this load.” He’s not going to do that. He does not want to just lighten your load; He wants to carry it all. But there is a vital part that we must play in this. It is the prayer of commitment. Once we turn our problems over to Him, it is out of our hands- so don’t take them back! Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere!
6) The Prayer of Agreement
Of the many prayer promises in the Bible, perhaps none is more significant than Matthew 18:19. To get the full impact of what Jesus is saying, let’s look at the verses preceding and following it.
Matthew 18:18-20 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
P.C. Nelson, a Greek scholar said the literal Greek rendering of Jesus’ statement is, “If you shall ask anything in my name and I don’t have it, I will make it for you.”
Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” We usually apply this Scripture to a Church service. Of course, it can refer to this, but what Jesus really was saying here is wherever these two people are who agree, He is right there with them to make their prayer good. Jesus was bringing out the fact that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Heaven will back us in what we do on earth. We have the authority to loose and to bind in Jesus name. God is waiting on us, when we make our move, God will then move! Foundations for Christian Living - 134 - Here is another angle to Matthew 18:18, whatever is already bound in heaven you can bind on earth or whatever is loosed (or permitted) in heaven you can loose on earth. For example, there is no sickness, poverty or depression in heaven, so we can bind those things from operating on the earth. There is joy, peace and love in heaven, so we can loose those spiritual forces on the earth. So whatever exists in heaven we can loose in the earth and whatever is not allowed in heaven we have authority to bind on the earth. That is just what the Lord’s prayer was doing while Jesus was on earth in Matthew 6:9-11, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread…’”
We may be mighty in prayer alone, but we can be mightier with someone joining us. Through the prayer of agreement with others, we can do many times as much as we can do by ourselves
7) Prayer of Intercession
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
The Greek translation of the last phrase of this verse reads, “with groanings which cannot be uttered in articulate speech.” Therefore, this verse includes groanings and praying in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:14 in the amplified, “…my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays…”
Notice in Romans 8:26 that we don’t know what we should pray for. We can’t possibly know in our natural mind how to pray as we should because there are so many things known only to God, but “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” The Holy Spirit will help us and will make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered in articulate speech. In other words it can be a combination of tongues and groaning sounds.
This does not mean it is something the Holy Spirit does apart from you. That would make the Holy Spirit responsible for our prayer life, and He is not. We are responsible for our prayer life. Notice that this verse says that He “helps us”. He is not sent to do our praying for us. He is sent to help us in every aspect of our life, and especially our prayer life. There are some things that come out of our heart that cannot be expressed in words. It is the Holy Spirit helping us as these groanings come up out of our spirit and escape our lips. It is the Holy Spirit in the ministry of intercession through us- what an honor.
A prayer of intercession is praying for another person- not yourself. An intercessor takes the place of another.
We can pray in tongues for our own personal edification as long and as much as we want- 1 Corinthains14:4, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.” However, the Bible talks about a level of intercession that comes out as groanings or travail. The word travail speaks of labor and child birth in the natural. However, there is a spiritual travail that takes place for everyone who is born into the kingdom of God. Even though Jesus has purchased redemption for mankind, it is up to the Church to intercede and travail for the lost in order to bring them to Christ.
Foundations for Christian Living - 135 - Isaiah 66:7-9 “Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
Unbelievers remain unbelievers because they are deceived by Satan through this world system. If the revelation of the light of the Gospel shined in their hearts, they would see the truth, believe and receive Jesus as Lord and be born again. That is where intercession comes in, it removes the barriers that hinder and block sinners from coming to Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
This kind of travail and intersession does not stop after people are born again. The Apostle Paul was still travailing in Spirit-led intercession for the Christians at Galatia until they grew up in Christ and matured in their faith.
Galatians 4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.
Note: As Spirit filled Christians, we cannot push a button and begin to travail. Remember, it is the Holy Spirit within our spirit that gives the utterance. Devotional tongues we can turn on and off as we will, but travail is as the Spirit leads us. However, if we consecrate ourselves to God and make ourselves available, the Holy Spirit will not disappoint us and will use us often; especially since there aren’t many believers in the Body of Christ who are in a position to be used in this fashion.
I tell the Lord I don’t know how to pray for others as I ought to, but I am looking for the Holy Spirit to give me the utterance. As I begin to pray in faith, I believe the Holy Spirit is praying the perfect will for that person according to their needs and God’s will for their life. If during the course of prayer, the Spirit takes me into deep travail and groaning in the Spirit, I just yield and give voice to that utterance until the burden to pray lifts. You will know when you are done praying, because travail carries a deeper anointing and authority. When it lifts there is usually a deep peace and quiet rest or joy and laughter- quite a contrast to the deep groanings in the Spirit. This kind of praying in the Spirit gets the job done when nothing else will. The Holy Spirit makes intercession through us to the throne of grace.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
1 John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.
Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died- more than that, who was raised to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Foundations for Christian Living - 136 - 8) Prayer of Forgiveness
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
This is a prayer that we should all be quite familiar with praying, most likely every day. Sin separates us from God and causes our heart to condemn us. The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of his/her need for Jesus, but when a believer sins, his/her own re-created spirit makes it plain that we are out of fellowship with God. We are still children of God, it is just that sin breaks fellowship, and interrupts communication. With sin comes guilt, shame and condemnation; as a result, our faith is undermined. Our ability to function as Christians not to mention our prayer life is greatly hindered until we confess the sin and receive a cleansing in the blood of Jesus.
1 John 3:18-24 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
If our heart is not condemning us when FEELING condemnation, the devil is trying to put false condemnation on us in order to place us in bondage. Resist those feelings and base our faith on the Word, having already confessed those sins we know of to God. Don’t worry about the sins of omission that we are unaware of. I just use a blanket prayer of, “Father, if there is anything else that I am not aware of, I place those sins under the blood of Jesus also.”
2 Corinthians 2:10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven- if there was anything to forgive- I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake…
We need to keep our hearts pure by acting on 1 John 1:9 as needed. When we walk in the light of God’s Word that we have (Philippians 3:16), then we can have confidence before God. Remember, God’s Grace is not a license for sin according to Jude 1:4.
Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Foundations for Christian Living - 137 - 9) The Prayer of Authority
Also known as the prayer of faith, this is a prayer that changes things. We are not talking to God or asking Him for anything. We are using the authority and power of Jesus’ Name to speak to circumstances and mountains- commanding them to move.
Speak to the Mountain!
Mark 11:22-24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
The MOUNTAIN HAS NO CHOICE! We are calling it the way we want it. The mountain of problem must obey. It has no other choice. Notice in the ministry of Jesus, that He talked to trees, to the wind, sea, dead people, and demons, and they all obeyed Him- Mark 4:35-39; Luke 5:24; Luke 6:10; Luke 17:12-14; John 5:8.
You may say, “But that was Jesus!” True, but let’s read Mark 11:22-24 again, and you will notice that He has given us the authority to walk in His footsteps according to: John 14:12-13; 1 John 2:6. Take the Word that is stored in your heart (the sword of your spirit), and destroy problem areas in your life- SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE PROBLEM!
Remember, these words did not originate with us! They are not words we had dreamed up! We are simply speaking God’s Word to the mountain (problems in life), not our own words. When we put Bible promises in our hearts and speak them out of our mouths, on the authority of God’s Word, the facts in our life have to obey, and conform to God’s eternal truths. However, if we venture out into presumption, outside the written Word of God, we are speaking after the traditions of men, and presumption- resulting in no power to move mountains!
Saying and believing brings results according to Mark 11:22-24. However, just speaking to the mountain for the sake of just speaking, won’t cut it- anyone can do that, even unbelievers. The ungodly who do not have Bible faith to move mountains- “And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith” 2 Thessalonians 3:2. We must believe that everything we say to the mountain will come to pass. Believing is a pre-requisite to moving the mountain. We must release faith from our hearts in every word we speak, that is, “The Spirit of Faith” that moves mountains out of our lives.
When we pray, believe that we receive the answer; that we have it, it’s ours, and we take it now. Faith is the title deed, that it is our possession according to Hebrews 11:1. When Jesus rebuked the fig tree (Mark 11:13-14), notice that He spoke words. He did not pull out a machete in order to break it to pieces. Did you also notice that Jesus did not ask the Father God to zap it? It is true that sometimes our prayers are directed upward as petitions, requesting things from the Father. Other times we need to release our faith in the name of Jesus towards obstacles that stand in our way, like the devil. When a believer casts out a demon, does he lift his/her eyes to heaven, and ask the Father to cast the demon out? Is that how Jesus did it while on earth? No, Jesus operated as a man with authority, and he addressed the devil, and told him what to do. Jesus has delegated that authority to us, so we can deal with the enemy the same way that He did- Matthew 10:1, 8; 28:18-20; Mark 16:17; Luke 10:18-20.
Foundations for Christian Living - 138 - Demand it in Jesus Name!
John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
The Greek definition for “ask” is actually rendered as “strictly a demand for something due.” Are we demanding from Jesus? No! We are demanding the devil to cease and desist from his operations; in other words, to get his filthy hands off of God’s property.
Consider this, it would not be Scriptural to ask God for anything that He has already given us through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Take the new birth for example, Romans 10:10 does not say to pray the prayer of petition in order to receive salvation. That passage simple says, “Confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead.” Often times the appropriate tact to take is to claim what already belongs to us in Jesus’ Name- 2 Peter 1:4. Other times, a situation warrants that we use our God given authority in Jesus’ Name, and demand the devil to get out of the way- John 14:13. If we need wisdom, then ask God for it, because the Bible instructs us to do so in James 1:5.
If we need healing, say “I claim healing for my body according to 1 Peter 2:24.” If we need strength, say “Body, be strengthened in Jesus’ Name according to Philippians 4:13.” Whatever God has promised us in His Word, we have the right to claim for our lives and say, “It’s mine, and I receive it now!”
Too many of God’s children are laying around the pool of Bethesda waiting for the troubling of the waters- John 5:1-16. Waiting for some spiritual handout, all the while Jesus is standing there saying, “Come and dine, I have a glorious table of redemption for you to feast on, and to be satisfied. Oh, do you need some healing, here have a loaf of it. You must be thirsty, have a drink of the Holy Spirit. Make sure you have thirds on prosperity pie!” Unfortunately, many of God’s children are subjected to spiritual poverty by the lies of man’s religion. Groping around as beggars, the devil and his crowd just stand around, and laugh at us, as we make feeble attempts at being spiritual- sincere but ignorant. If we go through life barely getting along, it is not God’s will or His fault. He has already made ample provision available for us to go through life in style, blessed to be a blessing- John 10:10; Romans 8:31-39; 1 Timothy 6:17; 3 John 2. It’s not automatic, it requires diligence and patience, but what a witness to the world when we tap into the manifold Grace of God!
Remember to use the right rules for the prayer of authority. This prayer is one to change circumstances. When we pray for something or to change circumstances, never pray “if it be your will.” If we do, then we’re using the wrong rule and it won’t work. The only time Jesus prayed a prayer that had included an “if” was a prayer of consecration and dedication in the Garden of Gethsemane- “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” Luke 22:42.
When Jesus prayed at Lazarus’ tomb, He didn’t pray, “If it be your will.” He said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me” in John 11:41. He then commanded Lazarus to come forth, and Lazarus came forth.
Foundations for Christian Living - 139 -
Praying beyond God’s Ability
When Jesus said in Mark 9:23, “Everything is possible to him who believes.” Does that mean that God answers every prayer from every human being? This is a loaded question. We could talk about the power of life and death in the tongue- which applies to Christians and unbelievers alike. Or the power of unity like the story of the tower of Babel, Genesis 11:6, “The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.’”
The Word of God and the spiritual laws within God’s Word define the parameters from which the principles of prayer operate. No one has access to the Father except through Jesus, so until a person is born again, there is no prayer life until he/she is born again. Once a person receives the new birth, they need to be taught and become acquainted with the Kingdom of God and the spiritual laws that govern it.
RULE #1: Free Will
Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.
Our prayers cannot override another person’s free will- we can’t force the blessings of God on someone if they do not want it. Nor can we make someone like us. Any attempt to manipulate or force someone through prayer is considered to be witchcraft!
RULE #2: The Love Rule
Galatians 5:6 The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
If we are not walking in love towards others then we can expect our prayers to be hindered!
RULE #3: The Obedience Rule
James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
1 John 3:21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
Unrepentant sin will result in condemnation in our life. Our own heart will testify against us that we are out of fellowship with God. Use 1 John 1:9 to purify your heart from all acts of sin. Foundations for Christian Living - 140 - RULE #4: The Repetitious Prayer Rule
Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
The prayer of faith is prayed once, and then we thank the Father for answering our prayer thereafter.
RULE #5: The Will of God Rule
1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us- whatever we ask- we know that we have what we asked of him.
We all know that faith begins where the will of God is known. If the will of God is in doubt concerning a need, it is impossible to pray the prayer of faith until we find Scripture that covers the need. Too many Christians present their prayers to God too quickly without doing a little research in the Bible. We need to find promises in God’s Word that cover the need we have. Next, does the Bible instruct us to ask God for it or to just claim it as a promise already provided: James 1:5 tells us to ask God for wisdom and Hebrews 4:16 tells us to come to the Throne of Grace to receive mercy and find grace.
Many times, whatever we need, the Bible tells us that Jesus had already provided it for us; therefore, all we have to do is simply apply it in our lives through faith- personalizing the promise by confessing it over our lives. Other times we need to use the authority in the Name of Jesus and put the devil under our feet. Through the Word and the Spirit of God we can find the appropriate course of action to take in dealing with the issue.
The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to study the Word of God. Hosea 4:6, “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” What you don’t know, you can’t have, even when it is part of your inheritance. So be diligent to find out through the Word of God who you are, what you have, and how you are to live in Christ Jesus!
RULE #6: The Right Motive Rule
James 4:1-4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
God wants to bless His children with good things (1 Timothy 6:17), but if our motive is to compete and compare ourselves with others, these covetous greedy prayers will not be answered. The promises of God are activated by our faith in God’s Word. Faith comes from the heart, and faith works by love. If our heart is not right then no matter how pretty our words sound, they will just drop to the ground as dead seed.
Foundations for Christian Living - 141 - RULE #7: The Law of the Harvest Rule
According to Jesus in the parable of the sower, “The seed is the Word of God” Luke 8:11. In this manual we have already talked at length about this concept. Now I want to discuss how the seed gets into our hearts, and how it grows there in order to produce a harvest. The law of seed time and harvest goes back to Genesis 1:11-12; 8:20-22. God’s natural and spiritual creations operate on these eternal laws. Here is something that we should never forget. Words are seeds, but God’s Word is incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23). There is a big difference between the two.
Sometimes people think it’s going to happen just because they say it. Saying it is involved in planting it. The problem has been that people say a few things, they plant a few seeds, then go off and leave them. We must care for that seed, because it takes time for things to manifest. When we preach the gospel we are sowing seeds; by speaking words, in this case, gospel words. When we speak words, we are sowing seeds. If we don’t like the harvest we have been receiving, then we had better check on the seed we have been sowing- we could be sowing weeds (idle words). What we are today is a product of the words we spoke yesterday. What we say is what we will get, because if we keep saying it, we will eventually believe it in our heart. The things that we believe in our heart, will come to pass in time. God made our spirit to produce whatever (Indiscriminate) we plant in there. If we don’t like the harvest, simply check on the seeds (words) we have been speaking.
Remember it’s not going to happen just because we have said it once. Generally speaking, we must say it over a period of time for it to be really planted in the soil of our heart. The following Scriptures are the seeds that move mountains. None of the circumstances that we start speaking to will appear to have changed, but it will if we hold fast to our confession of faith (Hebrews 4:14; 10:23). Jesus said that they would obey our faith filled words. Our faith filled words are the seeds that will move the mountains out of our life. The sowing is in the saying:
Mark 4:14, 20 “The farmer sows the Word. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
God’s Word is sowed in our hearts when we speak it through meditating on the promises of God. The seed contains the spirit life of God (John 6:63)! Yet until it is sowed into our spirit, it does not produce anything. Unless a farmer plants the seed He can’t expect a harvest. The act of sowing or planting is a pre-requisite for any kind of a harvest. The same is true for the believer, the harvest or manifestation of the promise comes after the word of promise has been sowed into our heart. Then God causes it to grow, and the harvest comes in a process of time.
Proverbs 20:4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.
Proverbs 18:20 From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
Isaiah 61:11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Foundations for Christian Living - 142 - When a seed comes into contact with the soil, and water, the seed germinates. The creative life within that seed is released. God’s Word is incorruptible seed, and the life within that seed is God’s grace (His life, power and ability). Water is a type of the Holy Spirit (John 4:10-14; 7:37-39). He acts as a catalyst to the Word, releasing the grace of God within it in order to produce the life of God that results in a harvest of blessing, and provision for our lives.
In the natural, the soil will not argue with the farmer, and produce something contrary to what is planted. For example, if you were to plant wheat, but the soil decides to produce corn. Some people have gotten the idea that it does not matter what kind of seed they sow, and it does not matter what they say. People will often say, “Well, God knows what I meant.” Maybe so, but the issue is, our heart doesn’t. It is programmed by God to produce whatever we sow in it (our words, good or evil). The soil of our heart does not decide whether the words we plant (say) are right or wrong. It will simply produce a harvest according to the type of seed we have planted there.
Some people in an attempt in being honest will share with others how they feel. Even when they pray, they pray the problem instead of reminding God of the promise (Isaiah 43:46 KJV).Thus, they put a death sentence over themselves with their words (Proverbs 21:23).A believer can have faith in God through the Word of God or faith in the devil by believing the words of the devil. Let’s be consistent, and work faith on the positive side! We exalt God when we proclaim His Word above the circumstances of life. We exalt the devil when we yield to the circumstances of life and speak defeat, worry, and fear (Job 3:25). If we live by God’s words, we would certainly die by embracing the devil’s words (Genesis chapter 3; Matthew 4:4)
Remember, we have said that words are seeds but God’s Word is incorruptible seed. The devil understands these principles, and he uses them to accomplish his purposes in people’s lives. He will use whoever will yield to him to plant seeds (speak words) of doubt, fear, and failure into people. If people hear that long enough, that seed will get into their hearts, and they will believe, and receive a harvest of evil in their lives. As believers we have the right through Jesus Christ to sow God’s Word in our lives, and into the lives of others in order to produce a harvest of righteousness, and blessing for God’s glory. Read the story about Sennacherib threatening Jerusalem in Isaiah chapter 36 and story of the Israelites at Kadesh Barnea in Numbers chapters 13 & 14. These are vivid examples of seeds that the devil planted in people’s lives in order to destroy them (Matthew 13:37-42).
The Human Heart Is God’s Production Center
Just think of it, we may not know how the kingdom of God operates to produce a harvest, but if we just know, and work the principles, we can receive God’s provision for our lives. I may not know how a brown cow eating green grass can produce white milk, but I can still drink it, and receive the benefits from it. However, as God gives us more understanding of the particular workings of these spiritual laws, we will be able to operate in them more fully- PRAISE THE LORD!
Foundations for Christian Living - 143 - The Process of Growth
Mark 4:26-29 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain- first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
We can’t rush the harvest to the confession of our faith! Let’s look at the process of the growing seed:
A man scatters seed Seed of God’s Word is sown by saying it The seed sprouts and grows First the stalk Watered through thanksgiving/Word Then the head Then the full kernel in the head When the grain becomes ripe- harvest time Reaped through prayer/led by the Spirit
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Here Jesus is drawing a parallel between the natural process of seed time and harvest that operates in the natural world and the spiritual process of seed time and harvest that operates in the spiritual world. Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like…” As believers if we do not learn to operate in this spiritual law, we are in a world of hurt. This law works whether we know all the little details or not, “though he does not know how.” If we will just work the Word, the Word will work for us. If it is not working, then we are not working the Word according to directions. The man just sowed the seed and the soil took care of everything else. While we are asleep, this principle is working. Our spirit never sleeps, and is producing the substance for the things we hope for.
1 Corinthians 3:6-9 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Paul Planted the Seed: Paul preached the gospel and thus planted the seed. Apollos watered it: Apollos was a teacher and taught that same Word that Paul preached. God made it grow: God is the one that causes His Word to grow and produce fruit- John 15
What a rest, no manipulation, striving, and straining required. Just sow the seed, water it with praise, and thanksgiving for what His Word is doing, and God will make it grow. There are some other elements that will determine the fruitfulness of your harvest- 30, 60 or 100 fold- like walking in love, holiness and integrity of heart.
When the Word of God is spoken, faith is released through the air. That same creative force of God that the Father spoke in the beginning when He created the heavens, and the earth. This Word which is spoken comes to the ears of the hearer. At this point, a decision is made to accept or reject it. The human will is the door to the human heart. Upon accepting the Word, it penetrates the human spirit and germinates in the soil of his/her heart (Ezekiel 17:5-8). Foundations for Christian Living - 144 - Everything that you receive from God enters first into the human spirit, where it is conceived by faith. It’s in the womb of the spirit where the seed is conceived, and produces spirit life. This is the reception center of everything we receive from God. Faith in the heart gives the human spirit the ability to conceive what God has promised in His Word. It won’t happen until it is conceived, just as a child is conceived in his/her mother’s womb. Then after conception, eventually there will be a manifestation, harvest or birth. Sometimes we must say things over and over before we really believe them. Faith comes by hearing the Word continually, not by having heard it a few times.
The point is, what we say is what we sow. But it won’t happen just because we say it once. It won’t happen just because we say it a hundred times. Hearing the Word causes faith to come. Saying is involved in working the principle. It is conceived when we believe and doubt not in our heart. The kingdom within you, (Luke17:20-21) has been sown with the seed we have been speaking. When our spirit conceives the promise we spoke, it will work night and day to produce and bring it to pass. The soil, the heart, the spirit of man, is designed by God to produce what is sown in it- good or bad. It is the seed that determines the type of harvest, not the soil. We are the ones who control the kind of seed that we sow into our own hearts- Galatians 6:7-10
Don’t dig up the Seed We have seen that seeds are words, and the soil is the human spirit or heart. However, what instrument do we use to sow the seed- the tongue! The tongue has the potential to sow God’s Word for a harvest of blessing, but it can also dig it up, and sow weeds that will produce a curse. In Genesis, after the fall of man, Adam caused certain curses to befall himself and this earth. One of those curses was the introduction of weeds which I believe is a type of evil words- the capacity to speak good and evil. Proverbs says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Until the fall, I believe that Adam only used his tongue for life. When Adam sold out to Satan and committed high treason, man received Satan’s sinful nature in his spirit, and with that the ability to speak death- called spiritual death. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil also refers to the ability to speak life, and death with our tongues (Deuteronomy 30:19). When we speak God’s Word one moment, and then speak the doubt and fear (Devil’s words) the next moment, we have just dug up our seed.
James 1:6-8 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Faith in the heart gives it the ability to conceive God’s promise. Once it is conceived, we will eventually have a manifestation of that promise. But it takes time. It is a process. As I have been saying, this is not a fad! This is a way of life! This is not something we try. If we are just going to try it, it won’t work for us. We must have the attitude, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it. As for me and my house, we are going to believe God’s Word.” Remember, we will not attain water walking faith overnight. Just because we are tired of taking that medicine that keeps us alive, is no reason to just say, “Well bless God today I’m going to start living by faith.” You will more than likely die by faith if we have not developed our faith, and have received a full manifestation of healing in our body. Just keep taking that medicine, and believing God at the same time until we don’t have to take it anymore.
Luke 8:15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Foundations for Christian Living - 145 - Permissive Tense The Curse of The Law: Deuteronomy 28:15-22, 27-29, 35, 58-61 We can readily see from these Scriptures that sickness is a curse of the law. The dreadful diseases enumerated here- in fact, every sickness and every disease, according to the 61st verse are part of the punishment for breaking God’s law. We see specifically that the curse of the law was many fold, and included disease of every kind, financial ruin, destruction of your family, lack of peace or mental illness. We can see clearly that the curse of the law included every disease known and every disease that there was, whether recorded in the Book or not, from verse 61. “Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed.” Reading these Scriptures in the Bible would lead us to believe that God Himself puts sickness and affliction upon His people, for it reads, “The Lord will send on you…”
Permissive versus Causative Tense: Dr. Robert Young, was a Hebrew and Greek Scholar (Old Testament was written in Hebrew, New Testament was written in Greek), and the author of Hints and Helps to Bible Interpretation. He says in this book, that in Exodus 15:26, the literal Hebrew reads “... I will permit to be put upon thee none of these diseases which I permitted to be brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that heals you.” The original Hebrew of these scriptures was in the permissive tense, but because the English language has no corresponding permissive tense, the verbs were translated in the causative tense. The KEY to understanding these different passages of Scripture lies in knowing that the active verbs in Hebrew have been translated in the causative tense when they should have been translated in the permissive tense. So, Deuteronomy 28:27 should have been translated something like, “The Lord will allow/permit these plagues to be brought upon you...”
Many other verbs were translated in the causative sense in the KJV. For example, Isaiah 45:7, does God create evil? No. That would make God a devil. God may permit evil, but He does not create it- Amos 3:6. If God commits evil, then He has no right whatsoever to judge man for sinning. But God has not done evil; He only permits evil. There is a vast difference between commission and permission.
When King Saul backslid, in 1 Samuel 16:14, what actually happened was that Saul’s sin broke fellowship with God, and God permitted an evil spirit form the devil to trouble him. The original Hebrew of these Scriptures was in the permissive tense, but because the English language has no corresponding permissive tense, the verbs were translated in the causative. No, God does not send plagues and sickness upon His people as these verses seem to indicate. God’s Word does not teach that these things come directly from God. When God’s people broke His commandments, they no longer were under His divine protection. All He could do was permit the devil to bring those afflictions upon them. Their sin and wrongdoing brought those dreadful plagues upon them.
New Testament Clarification- Setting the Record Straight: The ‘Analogy of Faith’ concerning Bible interpretation teaches us that Scripture interprets Scripture. One cannot come to an interpretation that contradicts explicit Scriptures elsewhere in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament. According to 1 John 3:8, Jesus came to earth, “to destroy the devil’s work” and redeem mankind from his oppressive tyranny which ranges from disease, mental anguish, spiritual death, poverty and everything else that is evil in this world. John 10:10; Acts 10:38; Luke 13:16, Matthew 7:11. In Galatians 2:18-19 it states, “If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.” If God makes people sick just so He can heal them that would make God a lawbreaker. Consider John 9:1-3, the man born blind or Lazarus in John 11:4-5. God was not the author of those tragedies, Satan was. Since Jesus came to destroy the devil’s work, God was glorified in spite of what the devil meant for evil and God turned it around for His glory. To attribute the works of Satan to God is dangerous- Matthew 12:25-28.
Foundations for Christian Living - 146 - So Who Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart God reveals his plan to Moses in Exodus 4:21-23. God says at the beginning that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart. The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is then described in several different ways:
Pharaoh’s heart became hard: Exodus 7:13, 23 Pharaoh hardened his heart: Exodus 8:15, 32 God hardened Pharaoh’s heart: Exodus 9:7, 10:20
Pharaoh in the beginning persistently hardened his own heart against God- Romans 9:17-18; Acts 19:9. This brought on the retributive “hardening” by God, after much long-suffering- Exodus 9:12. However, when the Bible says Pharaoh hardens his heart, it also says that this happened “just as the Lord had said”
Exodus 9:34-35- When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.
Exodus 10:1-2- Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”
In other words, Pharaoh’s hardening his heart is considered to be the same as God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. I take this to mean that Pharaoh did the actual hardening, as we see it - he decided on his own to not listen to God and let the Israelites go. But God knew in advance what Pharaoh would do in any given situation, and deliberately placed Pharaoh in this situation. God decided that Pharaoh would be born at the time and place that he was and thus placed him in this position of power- see Exodus 9:13- 17; Acts 17:26-27. Thus God brought about the situation, namely that Moses would encounter a pharaoh whose heart was hardened against God, though Pharaoh hardened his heart of his own free will. Consider this, if God had doomed Pharaoh to a sinful position of rebellion against Him, then God would be guilty of sin by creating Pharaoh as an object of sinful rebellion- how could God than be just in punishing Him. God would be contradicting His Holiness by predestinating people to be evil in order to further His will. No, there are plenty of evil people around who choose to be evil by their own free will for God to use to further His purpose in the earth like Pharaoh.
Three Words translated ‘Harden” in the Hebrew: 1) chazaq- to brace or tighten up as opposed to relax- Exodus 4:21; 7:13,22; 8:19; 9:12, 35:10:20; 11:10; 14:4, 8; 12:23; Joshua 11:20 2) kabed- to make heavy, weighty or hard- Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 1 Samuel 6:6 3) qashah- to make sharp, hard, severe or cruel- Exodus 7:13, 13:15
Many times God is said to be responsible for the things He permits to be done. God gave Pharaoh the occasion to resist Him and harden his own heart in the same way that the gospel saves or damns people today; softens or hardens; and makes alive or kills all who hear it- Romans 2:4-11, 2 Corinthians 2:15- 16. As the sun hardens the clay and softens the wax, so it is with truth. The result is not in the sun (or in God), but in the composition of the materials- the response people make with their free wills in relation to God and His Word. In Luke 20:17, Jesus was quoting Psalms 118:22, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.” He went on to say in verse 18, “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” Two outcomes for humanity concerning what they do with Jesus: 1) Repentance & Salvation (broken to pieces) or 2) Rejection & Damnation (crushed) as is stated in John 3:36. Foundations for Christian Living - 147 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 148 -
Lesson Objective: I am really excited about this lesson; it represents many of the wonderful life transforming realities that we have received through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though the subject is an extensive study, we will present just the foundational truths concerning our redemption and what it means to the believer in their life today. Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” I cannot stress how important it is for us to grasp and confess the Biblical truths of who we are in Christ over our lives so that freedom reigns.
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 5: Our Glorious Redemption- Welcome to the Family of God. Being in Christ opens a whole new world of exciting possibilities and discoveries:
Spiritual Adoption and Inheritance-A new creation, born into God’s family as a son or daughter Redemption- An explanation of what Christ’s death, burial and resurrection means to us The doctrine of Baptisms- Baptism into the body of Christ, in water and in the Holy Spirit The Church- What it is, ministry gifts and your unique gifting and endowments
A. What we were Sometimes it helps to know where we came from so we can fully appreciate what we are now. Having sinned, we experienced spiritual death (Hebrews 2:9) and as a consequence became separated from God and His enemy (Romans 5:10); in league with Satan, and a part of a rebellious world system. The Bible recognizes only two types of people on the earth, 1 John 3:10 “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are…”
This cycle of death began with the first sin and fall of man by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. As a result we are all born into sin and upon reaching the age of accountability (Romans 7:9) fell short of the glory of God- Romans 3:23; 6:23. But then came Jesus our Deliverer and Savior!
1 Peter 1:18-21 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Please Read: Ephesians 2:1-10 Foundations for Christian Living - 149 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 150 - B. The Kingdom of God
Luke 8:1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him.
During the earthly ministry of Jesus, His teaching and preaching to the people encompassed the subject of His Kingdom coming into the earth. However, the people grossly misunderstood Jesus, thinking His Kingdom would become an earthly one immediately- overthrow the kingdoms of this world, end Satan’s reign and all evil. This will most certainly come at a future date according to the Father’s time table- Acts 1:6-7. However, Jesus was ushering in a spiritual kingdom first and then in the future that spiritual kingdom will take on physical form- discussed in Lesson 7 of this series.
Luke 16:16 AMP Until John came, there were the Law and the Prophets; since then the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone strives violently to go in [would force his own way rather than God’s way into it].
Luke 17:20-21 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
The Kingdom of God is a revelation of the spiritual realities of God’s eternal realm, spiritual laws and provisions. Jesus Christ is the door into this new life, John 10:9 “I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved…” AMP. An individual must be born as a citizen of this Kingdom in order to share in all its rights, privileges and responsibilities- dual citizenship, of this country and of God’s!
John 3:3 AMP- Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
It was through parables as recorded in the Gospels that Jesus explained what the Kingdom of God is like, but it is through the teachings of the Epistles(Romans – Revelation) that it’s thoroughly explained- 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 encapsulates the gospel message!
Mark 4:30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?”
Colossians 1:26-27 The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Foundations for Christian Living - 151 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 152 - C. Spiritual Adoption
Romans 8:15-17 AMP For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.
Ephesians 1:5-6 He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
An important point to make here is that as partakers of the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, we are now children of God! In the Old Covenant, they were considered ‘servants’ and not ‘sons’ of God. This is significant as it pertains to our position granted us in God’s Kingdom through Jesus. We are no longer children of Satan, we have been born into God’s family, adopted as children of God and all that has been freely given us by God’s amazing Grace!
John 15:14-16 You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Just think, as great as all the Old Covenant patriarchs were, by God’s grace we have been given greater honor and authority because of the New Covenant that is based on better promises- Hebrews 8:6. We have direct access to God’s throne of grace through Jesus Christ- Hebrews 4:14-16.
Luke 7:28 “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
He may be ‘God’ to the world but He is ‘Father’ to us! We are talking about a personal, precious and priceless relationship with the God of the universe. We are in union with God through Jesus Christ- He is the vine and we are the branches- Please Read John 15:1-17. There is no more prejudice, race or gender distinction. The God who shows no favoritism (Romans 2:11) sees us all the same in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:26-4:1 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 4:4-7 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Foundations for Christian Living - 153 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 154 - D. Heir of God and Co-Heir with Jesus Christ
Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
In this life we understand the concepts of a will and inheritance. If you have a rich uncle who listed you as an heir to his estate, one day you will receive your share; however, not until the death of your uncle will you receive even a penny of that inheritance- Galatians 4:1-5. Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s will and inheritance has been put into force for our lives to receive and benefit from- 2 Corinthians 1:22; Colossians 1:12.
Hebrews 9:15-17 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.
Do you know what is included in your inheritance? God’s inheritance for us is outlined in God’s Word- His Will! There are items for us to experience now and there are other items that will be experienced later in the future. It is God’s will for us to know who we are in Christ and experience all His fullness for our lives in the here and now! Here are just a few examples:
Ephesians 1:18-21 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Now: A New Creation- 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:15 Remission of our Sins- Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:9 Healing for our Bodies- 1 Peter 2:24; Mark 16:18 Authority over Satan- Luke 10:19; Mark 16:17 Peace of Mind- Philippians 4:7 Prosperity- 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 4:19 Later: New Glorified Bodies- Romans 8:23; Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-57 See God Face to Face- 1 Corinthians 13:12; Revelations Chapter 21
As you read through the Epistles you will find over 100 references to expressions like, “in Christ,” “in Him,” “in Whom,” “through whom,” etc. You will also find other Scriptures which convey the same message, but do not use the specific phrases, “in Him,” etc. Yet they tell you who you are, or what you are or what you have, because you are “in Christ.” Find them and meditate on them. Personalize them by putting your name in the promises of God and confess them out of your mouth. Say with your mouth, “This is who I am, and this is what I am, and this is what I have in Christ.” Even though we have an inheritance, we must appropriate it through faith for it to be experienced. Foundations for Christian Living - 155 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 156 -
1 Corinthians 6:20 AMP You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.
To ‘Redeem’ something means to buy back, as something that was once originally yours. It speaks of a purchase that God made when He sent His only begotten Son in John 3:16. We were held captive by sin, in slavery to the law of sin and death (Romans 6:19; 8:2), mankind was kidnapped by the devil. The life and blood of Jesus was the ransom price that set us free from Satan’s authority over our lives-1 Timothy 2:5-6; Mark 10:45, “…to give his life as a ransom for many.” Colossians 1:13-14; Ephesians 1:7
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the remission of sins. In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
No other price but the blood of Jesus Christ could cancel the sentence of death over our lives as a result of sin. Why blood you may ask, because God instituted it from the beginning that an innocent substitute may stand on behalf of the guilty and pay the penalty on behalf of another- Cain and Abel Genesis 4:1-7. Through the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant we begin to realize the awfulness of sin. Our moral relative society today downplays sin as simply being naughty- adultery is marginalized as an ‘affair’ and murder is called a ‘woman’s choice.’ It’s amazing how human reasoning can dismiss evil so easily.
Leviticus 17:11 AMP For the life (the animal soul) is in the blood, and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life [which it represents].
The Old Covenant animal sacrificial system could only cover sins as a temporary shadow of better things to come in Jesus. Only the innocent, “Lamb of God” Jesus Christ who was tempted as we were, yet lived the perfect life became the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus, born of a virgin, the sinless, spotless Son of God, His blood would pay the ultimate price and purchase our eternal redemption- Acts 20:28 “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”
Hebrews 10:3-4 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 9:11-14 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Foundations for Christian Living - 157 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 158 - A. Justification
The best definition for sin is, “To miss the mark”; in other words, it means anything less than perfection. Sin is spiritual crime that has a penalty- the death sentence, eternal separation from God in torment. It is an eternal fact that God is a just God; as illustrated by the Ten Commandments. God’s holiness requires absolute perfection to be justified in His sight!
James 2:10-11 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
The purpose of the Ten Commandments was to show how utterly helpless we are to live up to that standard perfectly throughout our life. Bottom line is that it proved that we need a Savior! The law was meant to give, not salvation, but knowledge of sin- Gal. 2:16; 3:8; Eph.2:15; Col.2:14.
Galatians 3:24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
The whole plan of redemption revolves around the central theme of justification through Jesus Christ as mentioned in Isaiah 53:11 “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” The Apostle Paul through the book of Romans discourses on the awesome ramifications of Biblical justification through Jesus Christ. One thing for certain, the Bible makes it very plain that the sinner is justified through faith in Jesus Christ alone, there is no other way. Only by placing our faith in the substitutionary redemptive work of Jesus Christ does anyone stand perfectly vindicated and innocent before God. Please also refer to Romans 3:23-26; 5:16, 18
Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Romans 3:27-28 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
Justification: God’s act of remitting the sins of guilty men, and accounting them righteous, freely, by His grace, through faith in Christ, on the ground, not of their own works, but of the representative law-keeping and redemptive blood-shedding of the Lord Jesus Christ on their behalf. Justification confers a legal status upon the believer by canceling all legal liability for past, present and future sins. We have been made righteous forever in Jesus. Thus an open door is provided by which Gentiles and Jews alike stand on equal footing to the adoption and heirship of the children of God- Titus 3:7
Foundations for Christian Living - 159 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 160 - B. Remission of Sins
This phrase is used in the King James Version but is replaced with the word “Forgiveness” in most modern translations. In my opinion the word “Forgiveness” does not do justice to what the blood of Jesus does to our sins. The word “forgiveness” is misunderstood by some to imply that God only covers our sins but that they are not altogether gone, like it was under the Old Testament Levitical priesthood. However, the New Testament word “Remission” is what the blood of Jesus does to our sins when we are born again, blot them out as though they had never existed. Certainly God does forgive the sins a believer commits after he/she is born again as mentioned in 1 John 1:9- forgives, cleanses and purifies us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew 26:28 (KJV) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Acts 10:43 (KJV) To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins.
C. The Gift of Righteousness
Romans 5:17 AMP For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (power of God) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Righteousness is imputed unto us as a free gift. Imputed means to credit to ones account, to impart or transfer, or reckoning something to another person- like an electronic transfer of your paycheck into your checking account or someone sending a wire transfer that automatically credits your bank account.
Romans 9:30-32 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.”
Right standing with God is a free gift as Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 so wonderfully illustrate. No more striving and struggling to meet the grade. No more living in fear, worrying if when I get to heaven God won’t let me in because my bad works outweigh my good works. You may laugh but many cults and false religions live by this fallacy! We are free to receive the perfection of Jesus on our behalf. You see, when God looks at us He only sees the perfect righteousness of Jesus credited to us on our behalf- He sees the blood of Jesus. God already did all the work, Jesus already paid the price, all we have to do is say “Yes, I want Jesus to be Lord of my life, since God raised Him up from the dead!” Jesus made an everlasting covenant with God on our behalf through His blood, and we enter in and enjoy all the benefits through faith in Jesus- Hebrews 9:11-15; 1 Peter 2:24.
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Foundations for Christian Living - 161 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 162 - There are two sides to righteousness:
The first side is the legal side in which case righteousness is imputed (Accredited, Accounted, Attributed & Ascribed) unto the new believer by grace through faith as a result of the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Jer.23:6 “In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.” Jesus Christ is our righteousness in the New Covenant.
The second side is the vital side which makes righteousness a walk or lifestyle every day of our life through the Word and by the Spirit- 1 John 1:6-7. We must maintain our right standing with God, walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. We can’t grow in righteousness because we have the full measure of it now in our spirit through the New Birth. Since Jesus gave us His righteousness, one cannot improve upon absolute perfection. There is growth in the knowledge of what righteousness means, in acting as though we were righteous, and having in faith in our righteousness in Christ.
D. Atonement The King James Version uses the word “Propitiation” in Romans 3:25 and “Reconciliation” in Hebrews 2:17. Therefore the word “Atonement” means reconciliation, it was associated with sacrificial offerings to remove the effects of sin and in the New Testament, refers specifically to the reconciliation between God and humanity affected by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Atonement is best understood as expiation, that is, removing the barrier that sin creates between God and man.
1 John 2:1-2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Expiation emphasizes the removal of guilt through a payment of the penalty of sin, while propitiation emphasizes the appeasement or averting of God’s wrath and satisfying the claims of God’s justice. Both words are related to reconciliation, since it is through Christ’s death on the cross for our sins that we are reconciled to God. The place of atonement was made upon the mercy seat by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 9:5 “Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.” So mercy, forgiveness, justification and reconciliation are all wrapped up in the term atonement- Please Read: Romans 3:23-31
1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
E. Sanctification There are two forms of Sanctification that the Holy Spirit and the Word of God play in a believer’s life. The first is instantaneous Sanctification, this takes place when a new believer is just born again. All born again children of God have been sanctified in Christ Jesus. Spiritually speaking, we take on the Father’s character of perfect Holiness & Righteousness. This is the legal side of regeneration that is imputed or credited to our account. That does not mean we will automatically live these attributes perfectly in our lives, but it does mean that by God’s grace we can begin to imitate our heavenly Father one day at a time- Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Acts 20:32; 26:18 Foundations for Christian Living - 163 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 164 - But what does Sanctification mean? According to the Greek, it simply means, “To Set Apart and to Make Holy”- Hebrews 13:12 “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.” The King James Version uses “Sanctify” instead of “To Make Holy”- 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV); 1 Peter 1:22. Sanctification also means to be made separate from sin and death and consecrated unto God for his exclusive devotion and purpose. God is a jealous God, let’s not be playing games with the world- 2 Corinthians 11:2; James 4:4.
Sanctification is also a progressive work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God over the course of a believer’s life. As our minds are renewed and our physical body becomes subject to our spirit through the Word of God, we become a vessel for the Lord’s own use. We become set apart for his great purpose for our lives- 2 Timothy 2:21, “If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”
F. God’s Love Nature Created within Us
How do we really know that we are saved? I suppose there are many signs, but there is one in particular that I would like to discuss with you. Many people think the evidence of their salvation rests in the fact that they have joined a certain church. Or they think that because they’ve been water baptized a certain way with a certain formula, they are on their way to Heaven. For example, sometimes you hear people say, “You’ve got to belong to my church or you’re not saved.” But what does the Bible say is the evidence of the new birth? According to the Bible, we know we are saved, because we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord according to Romans 10:9-10. Then the Bible also says that we know we are saved because we love the brethren- Romans 13:8-10
This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:11-12, 14-18
John 13:34-35 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Romans 5:5 …because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Foundations for Christian Living - 165 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 166 - We are love children of a love God, His nature and character resides in our spirit nature as His offspring. Since God is the Father of our spirits we have been created in His image and likeness. You understand of course that the God-kind of love is not the same as natural human love. Natural human love can turn to hatred in an instant, but God’s love never fails, it remains constant and never changes. Our spiritual growth is tied directly to the development of our love walk in the footsteps of our Father- Ephesians 5:1. To walk in the Spirit according to Galatians 5:13-26, is to simply walk in love according to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; 1 John 2:9-11.
I believe that the Bible calls the characteristics of our love nature “Fruit” is because fruit grows. It is not the fruit of the Holy Spirit either, but the fruit of our re-created human spirit with the life and love nature of God. Certainly, the Holy Spirit abides in our spirit through the new birth. Notice that love is the first fruit: Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
The fruit of our re-created human spirits enables and empowers us to function in the Kingdom of God. Without this foundation for our spiritual lives, our Christian experience would crumble together into a big heap of dead works. White light is a combination of all colors, to walk in love is to walk in the light which is a combination of all the fruit of our re-created spirits- 1 John 2:10.
G. ZOE - Eternal Life
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Folks have a limited understanding of “Eternal Life” thinking that it pertains to living forever, but saints and sinners live forever, just in different places. Others think it means to go to heaven, which is part of it. Jesus came that we may experience an abundant life, but what kind of life was Jesus talking about in the above passage of Scripture. The Greek word translated “life” in this verse is zoe- the God-kind of life. According to 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work”. In John 1:4, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Light stands for development, this God-kind of life has made us new creations in Christ Jesus- we have Eternal Life now through the new birth according to John 6:47; 1 John 5:13! Eternal life will cause our mentality to increase! Remember Daniel and the three Hebrew children, God gave them favor and made them ten times smarter in Daniel 1:9, 18-20.
There are four different Greek words translated “life” in the New Testament. First, there is zoe. Then there is psuche. That means natural or human life. Bios means manner of life. Finally, there is anastrophee which means confused behavior. It seems strange that the Church has majored on “manner of life” or “behavior” rather than eternal life, which determines in a very large way the manner of life. We have majored on conduct, conversation and habits because they are in the sense realm. They have always appealed to the babes in Christ. We like to be told what we can do and what we cannot do. No matter what manner of life or behavior you have, if you don’t have eternal life, it will not amount to anything anyway. Receiving eternal life is in reality, God imparting His very nature, substance, and being to our human spirits- read 2 Corinthians 5:17-18; Ezekiel 36:26- 27. This new kind of life (God’s Nature), produces certain changes in a person. You can see the effects of that life almost at once. You can see it in a person’s habits and speech. It changes conduct, corrects habits, and forms new ones- Eternal life is the answer to all of man’s social ills!!!
Foundations for Christian Living - 167 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 168 -
In the book of Hebrews chapter 6 verse 2 there is a reference to the ‘instruction about baptisms’ in the plural. We are going to look briefly into three ‘Baptisms’ according to the Scriptures. The word ‘Baptized’ comes from the Greek word ‘baptizo’ (bap-tid’-zo); to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the N. T.) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism. We are not talking about a sprinkling or a dab of water. This is speaking of complete immersion.
A. Baptized into the Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:13- For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
At the time of the New Birth, the Holy Spirit baptized us into the body of Christ, and each one of us has a special function to fulfill. Before the creation of the world, God had predestined us with a divine destiny to fulfill upon this earth. As we walk in harmony with the Body of Christ faithfully doing our part (Ephesians 4:16; 1Peter 4:10), putting God’s Word into practice (James 1:22; 2 John 1:4-6), and following the leading of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14), we will fulfill God’s destiny for our lives on earth.
1 Corinthians 12:14, 27 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
The ‘Body of Christ’ refers to all believers that are spiritually connected to one another by the Spirit of God. Just as members of a human body all have special functions that supports the overall operation of the body, so it is Christ. Jesus is the head and we are His body on this earth- Ephesians 4:15-16, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 1:22-23 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
B. Water Baptism
Hence water baptism, symbolizes the death of the old man and the emergence of the new man in Christ. The actual change of regeneration is an instantaneous experience brought about by the Holy Spirit. Baptism becomes a means of demonstrating publicly and outwardly the nature of this change. Water Baptism is known as an outward demonstration of an inward work. The immersion or dipping of a believer in water symbolizing the complete renewal and change in the believer’s life and testifying to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the way of salvation- Romans 6:3-11. WATER BAPTISM DOES NOT SAVE US!
1 Peter 3:21 And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also, not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Foundations for Christian Living - 169 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 170 - C. Baptism with the Holy Spirit
Acts 1:4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
We know that the Holy Spirit indwells the believer when he/she is born again- the Spirit within, speaking of the well of salvation in John 4:7-14. There is a subsequent experience after the new birth referred to as the ‘Baptism with the Holy Spirit’ as stated above by Jesus. Notice that in regards to receiving this experience, Jesus worded it as a command or mandate for the believer.
If this experience was automatically incorporated in the New Birth then Jesus would not have needed to make it a command. One may say, “Well do I have to go to the upper room in Jerusalem to receive this power of the Spirit”. Fortunately for us the answer is no! The rest of the book of Acts records other people receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit outside of Jerusalem, in other parts of the world.
John 1:33- “I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’”
In John 7:37-39 Jesus talked about “streams of living water will flow from within him,” referring to the same Holy Spirit that in-fills the believer at the New Birth. The Spirit within (well of salvation) and the Spirit upon (streams of living water) refers to different operations of the Spirit within the life of the believer- the well is to bless you and the streams are to bless others. The whole point of being baptized with the Holy Spirit is to receive power to fulfill the Great Commission in Mark 16:15.
The Greek word for power is “Dunamis” as described below- our English word “Dynamite” comes from the Greek word. It’s no wonder that Jesus told the early Church to wait to be endued with this explosive power of the Holy Spirit in order to fulfill the great commission- Luke 24:45-49.
1411. dunamis, doo’-nam-is; from G1410; But you shall receive power- ability,
force (lit. or fig.); spec. miraculous power efficiency and might- when the Holy Spirit
(usually by impl. a miracle itself):--ability, has come upon you; and you shall be my
abundance, meaning, might (-ily, -y, -y witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and
deed), (worker of) miracle (-s), power, Samaria and to the ends- the very bounds-
strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) of the earth.
work. Acts 1:8 AMP
Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Dear brother and sister in Christ, if you have not received this gift from God, please let us know so we can minister to you in depth concerning this subject!
Foundations for Christian Living - 171 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 172 -
Acts 9:31- Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
A local assembly of believers as well as the redeemed of all the ages who follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Church began on the day of Pentecost, this word is used 115 times in the New Testament. It is not a man-made institution but is a spiritual assembly of all believers in Jesus Christ, regardless of denomination or religious affiliation. If you are born again by faith in Jesus Christ, you are my brother or sister in Christ, we are part of the same Body and Church of Jesus Christ.
Church- Greek word ‘ekklesia’ (ek-klay-see’-ah); from a compound of NT:1537 and a derivative of NT:2564; a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
It is DEFINITELY God’s will for all disciples of Jesus Christ to be plugged in a Bible based local church that honors God’s word and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Until Jesus returns, there will be differences amongst believers concerning the subject of healing, how to water baptize, and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to name just a few. However, to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, we must be born again by faith in Jesus. An individual is in disobedience to Jesus Christ who is the head of the Church if he/she is not committed to a local body of believers.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Ephesians 5:23-24 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
The Church of Jesus Christ is not a building, but a gathering of the saints in unity. Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, wherever we meet, that is where the Church is at. Matthew 18:19-20, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
Ephesians 2:19-22 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Remember the Church of Jesus Christ is not perfect, it is full of the redeemed with all kinds of hurts, habits, and hang-ups. That does not mean they are not saved- we are saved unto good works. We will continue to be under construction until Jesus returns for His Bride- us! We are all at different levels of maturity, so don’t be offended at folks and their hypocrisy- pray for them Ephesians 5:25-27. Foundations for Christian Living - 173 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 174 - A. Five-Fold Ministry Gifts There is a subject in the Bible referred to as ‘Church Government’ and there are different interpretations of what that means. I don’t have the time to go into all the details here but we will cover some of the leadership structure here- referring to the call of full-time ministry Hebrews 5:4 says, “No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God.”
Ephesians 4:11-13- It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. a. Apostles The ministry gift which heads the list is the apostle. The Greek word APOSTOLOS translated apostle means one sent forth, a sent one. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of a sent one in John 3:16; 20:21. A true apostle is always one with a commission – not one who merely goes, but one who is sent. In 2 Corinthians 12:12, speaks of the signs that follow an Apostle- signs and wonders. The work of an Apostle is that of a foundation layer, starting new works- 1 Corinthians 3:10. A missionary who is really called of God and sent by the Holy Spirit is an apostle. b. Prophet He speaks from the impulse of a sudden inspiration, from the light of a sudden revelation at the moment. The idea of speaking from sudden revelation seems here to be fundamental as relating either to future events or the mind of the Spirit in general. The simple gift of prophecy for edification in 1 Corinthians 14:3-5 that can operate through any believer does not make us a prophet.- 1 Corinthians 12:29; Acts 21:8-11. To stand in the office of a prophet, one must have a more consistent manifestation of at least two of the revelation gifts (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, or discerning of spirits) plus prophecy- has visions and revelations. c. Evangelist The word “evangelist” occurs only three times in the New Testament- Ephesians 4:11;Acts 21:8;2 Timothy 4:5. The meaning of the word “evangelist” is: one who brings the evangel (the good news); a messenger of good tidings. The evangelist’s favorite theme is salvation in its simplest form, to preach Jesus- Acts 8:5-8, 35. The supernatural equipment accompanying the evangelist’s ministry includes “miracles” and “gifts of healings” in 1 Corinthians 12:28. In my opinion, what we call an “evangelist” many times is an “exhorter” in Romans 12:8. It operates like an Evangelist in preaching a message, without the manifestations of miracles and gifts of healings. d. Pastor The Greek word translated “pastor” literally means “shepherd.” Jesus is the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, of all God’s sheep- John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4. Jesus has under shepherds. A pastor is an under shepherd. A pastor is a shepherd of God’s sheep. God calls men and equips them to shepherd, or pastor, a flock. As believers began to gather together in recognized local churches, or groups, or assemblies, in the New Testament days, they needed certain ones to exercise a position of loving oversight and care. That is the position of the pastor, or the shepherd. e. Teacher One can stand in the office of pastor-teacher, or prophet-teacher, or evangelist-teacher. We separate the offices to define them- Acts 13:1; 18:27. One who is a teacher without being a pastor usually has a traveling ministry among the churches. A divine call to teach with a special anointing to explain revelation truth. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, a teaching ministry is a watering with the Word kind of ministry. Foundations for Christian Living - 175 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 176 - B. Body Gifts 1 Peter 4:10-11 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
In Romans 12:4-8, there is a wonderful reference to believers given grace (power) by Jesus Christ to minister to one another. These body gifts fall under the office of ‘Helps’ ministry as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28. In this way every single Christian is called by God to do something in the Church, no spectators, no loitering and no excuses! The word “helps” is translated as “a helper, or a reliever” in the Greek. Make no mistake about it, this is a valid ministry with an anointing from God to serve others- Acts 6:1-7. Will we be faithful? Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
The Lord Jesus does not want us to be ignorant concerning the operations and manifestations of the Spirit of God- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. So we will briefly describe them here, realizing that the Holy Spirit can and will manifest through any yielded believer in Jesus Christ as He wills not as we will.
The Revelation Gifts 1. Word of Wisdom: Supernatural revelation by the Spirit of God concerning the divine purpose in the mind and will of God. Always speaks of the future.
2. Word of Knowledge: Supernatural revelation by the Spirit of God concerning facts in the mind of God concerning people, places, or things. Always present or past tense.
3. Discerning of Spirits: Supernatural insight into the realm of spirits. Seeing into the spirit realm. Ex. 33:18-23; 2 Kings 6:15-17; Isaiah 6:1-5; Acts 16:16-18- consider John and the book of Revelations.
The Power Gifts 4. Special Faith: A special manifestation or deposit of God’s faith in our heart for a temporary period of time in order to receive or operate in a realm far beyond our current faith level- like raising the dead.
5. Working of Miracles: A miracle is a supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of nature; a temporary suspension of the accustomed order through the Spirit of God- like the parting of the Red Sea.
6. Gifts of Healings: Given by God for the supernatural healing of disease without natural means from any source. The restoration of the body; (re-creative acts: like a new eye that didn’t exist) is a miracle not healing.
The Utterance Gifts 7. Prophecy: An inspired utterance in a known tongue. The Hebrew word that is translated “to prophesy” means “to flow forth.” It carries the thought “to bubble forth like a fountain”- 1Cor. 14:1-5.
8. Tongues: Not to be confused with the private devotional utterance of tongues for all believers as they will. This utterance is meant to be interpreted for the edification of a group of people- it’s a public act.
9. Interpretation of Tongues: Simply to render the gift of tongues intelligible to the hearers so that the Church, as well as the possessor of the gift, may know what has been said and may be edified. Foundations for Christian Living - 177 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 178 - Lesson 5 Review:
What are some of the wonderful realities we have as adopted children in God’s family?
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Explain the meaning of “Redeem” and how does that pertain to us as Christians?
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Explain the two sides of “Righteousness?”
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In a nut shell, what does “Eternal Life” mean?
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Provide a summary explanation concerning the, “Doctrine of Baptisms?”
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So what is the Church, and what significance does it play in the world today?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 179 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 180 - Bonus Material: Baptized with the Holy Spirit
I. Introduction
A. Instruction about Baptisms Hebrews 6:2, in reference to the elementary teachings of Jesus Christ, makes a point concerning, “instruction about baptisms” meaning plural!
1- Baptism into the Body of Christ at New Birth- 1 Corinthians 12:13 2- Water baptism as an outward demonstration of an inward work- Matthew 28:19 3- The Baptism with the Holy Spirit- Acts 1:5
B. The Spirit Within When an individual is born again, he/she receives the Holy Spirit within according to John 4:13- Jesus made reference to this living water that He gives, “Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
After the resurrection from the dead Jesus in John 20:22 appeared to the disciples and, “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” These men were born again back then as we know this spiritual experience today. They received the Holy Spirit within, they were saved and on their way to heaven!
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple , God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
C. The Spirit Upon
Early on in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptist made reference to the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:4 Jesus makes a connection with what John the Baptist had said.
Luke 3:16-17 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Acts 1:4-5- “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Foundations for Christian Living - 181 - Through the incarnation of Jesus, being born of a virgin, He had emptied Himself of all divine prerogatives according to Philippians 2:7, “…but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Like us, He needed the power of the Holy Spirit to carry on the Father’s work of healing the sick, casting out devils and setting the captives free. Briefly I want to show you that Jesus, as our example relied on the Holy Spirit for His power.
Jesus was around 30 years old when He had started His earthly ministry. However, prior to that there is no record of any healing or miraculous signs being performed. Not until after the Spirit came upon Him when He was baptized by John.
Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.
Luke 4:1-2 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
Luke 5:17-18 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
Yet Jesus made reference to an impartation subsequent to the new birth that entailed a unique experience with the Holy Spirit. The well of salvation in the New Birth is meant to refresh you, but the living water is meant for others. Jesus had referenced the same substance “Water”, being a type of the Holy Spirit; however, the flow or operation within the life of a believer is as distinct as water in a well versus water in a river.
John 7:37-39 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Now we will see that in the Scriptures, examples where folks were getting saved and then shortly thereafter, the Holy Spirit came “Upon” them when they received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. For example, when Philip preached Christ at Samaria in Acts chapter 9, a number of folks got saved and were water baptized- received the Holy Spirit within. But it was not until later that they received the Holy Spirit upon.
Acts 8:15-17 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Foundations for Christian Living - 182 - Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Acts 19:6-7 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Luke 24:48-49 “You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
These words came from Jesus Christ Himself as He instructed His disciples after His resurrection from the dead to NOT go out and fulfill the Great Commission until they were first empowered, equipped and baptized with the Holy Spirit and power!
D. The Anointing
The power of the Holy Spirit upon the believer today is an equipping anointing for service and ministry! Every Christian is called into the ministry of reconciliation according to 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. As a born again believers, we are already anointed. What does “anointing” mean? Well this term has its use from Genesis to Revelation. In the Old Testament, olive oil was poured upon the head of the prophet, priest and the king to be commissioned for service. Oil symbolically represented the Holy Spirit upon their lives, to empower them to carry out God’s work, His call and fulfill His plan for their lives upon the earth.
4886. mashach, maw- Moses poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head shakh’; a prim. root; to and anointed him to consecrate him. rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; Leviticus 8:12 by impl. to consecrate; also to paint:--anoint, paint.
Consider the life of David, after he was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel in place of Saul. Like Samson, the Spirit of God came upon David, who was only a teenager at the time to kill a lion and a bear. David, through faith in His God and the anointing upon his life, faced Goliath, who was one big bad dude. It was his faith in God that released the power of God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon David the kill Goliath. The word “Anointing”, “Power of God” and “Holy Spirit” are all synonymous terms.
1 Samuel 16:13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power.
Foundations for Christian Living - 183 - Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
1 John 2:20, 27 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Notice the Greek word “Chrisma” which is the root word Anointing for “Charismatic”. The anointing is synonymous with the
5545. chrisma, khris’-mah; person of the Holy Spirit- you can use both words
from G5548; an unguent or interchangeably and still be meaning the same thing. The
smearing, i.e. (fig.) the spec. anointing is simply an adjective that describes the
endowment (“chrism”) of operations and workings of the Holy Spirit. The influence
the Holy Spirit:--anointing, that the Holy Spirit has upon the lives of God’s children or
unction. His manifest presence in a corporate gathering of
Christians- known as the corporate anointing.
Certainly, there are many Old Testament examples of men and women anointed with the Holy Spirit who did powerful exploits for God, but it was always by the Spirit- Zechariah 4:6, “…’not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” However, our greatest example of a man anointed with the Spirit, was the Son of Man, Jesus Christ! As we have already said, even though Jesus was God on the earth 2,000 years ago (Matthew 1:23), He still depended on the Holy Spirit for His power- 1 John 4:17 NKJV, “…because as He is, so are we in this world.” And so do we that is how we can fulfill John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” The same Holy Spirit that was upon Jesus to do the Father’s will is also upon us. The only difference is that Jesus had the Spirit without measure according to John 3:34; we have the Holy Spirit upon us in measure.
II. Not an Option
A. Don’t leave Home without It When it comes to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Jesus makes it very clear that it was a prerequisite to fulfilling the Great Commission and living a Spirit filled victorious Christian life. Clearly, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance according Acts 2:4, is the initial evidence to being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Notice, that speaking in tongues is listed among those signs that follow believing ones in Jesus Christ.
Foundations for Christian Living - 184 - Mark 16:15-18 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Jesus made it clear that to “speak in new tongues” would accompany believers just as much as laying hands on the sick. Since this is in the same context of Scripture, one could not say that only some Christians could speak in other tongues because they would have to imply the same principle to laying on of hands in ministering healing to the sick- that only a few Christians can lay hands on the sick. Whenever God commands us to do something, He always gives us the grace and power to do it. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we desperately need the manifest power of God upon our lives to effectively engage this hostile world with the Gospel. Even Jesus received an anointing of power to enter His ministry after receiving John’s Baptism.
Question: Would it be a sin to not receive the gift of eternal life according to Romans 6:23? Well Jesus said the following concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the sinner, in convicting them of the sin of rejecting Jesus as Lord and Savior.
John 16:8-9 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me.
Acts 17:30 “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent”
Jesus also gave a command that all Believers, Christians, and Disciples of Christ are to be baptized with the Holy Spirit or receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
The prerequisite for going to heaven according to John 3:3, is the new birth; which is the result of confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior according to Romans 10:9-10. Water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit does not save us, but they are commands from the Lord directed towards believers. When it comes to commands in the Bible, rest assured it is always God’s will for everyone to obey them, and to everyone who acts on them in faith, God gives the grace to receive the life and blessing that are bestowed.
For the Christian, being baptized with the Holy Spirit is not an option- it is a COMMAND!
Foundations for Christian Living - 185 - III. A Separate and Distinct Experience
There is no doubt in the hearts of fair minded Christians, that numerous Scriptures make reference to a “Baptism with the Holy Spirit” throughout the New Testament. Where it gets debated is in regards to when and how a believer receives this experience.
Some are of the opinion that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is included as part of the New Birth experience.
Proofs in the Bible that Refute this Notion:
1) In Luke 24:28 and Acts 1:4- Jesus specifically instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for this experience; knowing that the disciples were already born again- John 20:22.
2) Acts 2:4, discloses that the initial sign to receiving this experience is witnessed by speaking in a language, unknown to the speaker supernaturally by the Holy Spirit.
3) Having just been baptized with the Holy Spirit, Peter is transformed by the power of God and 3,000 folks get saved through a gospel message. In that message Peter makes reference to the gift of the Holy Spirit as another promise for their children and for all who are far off- all those who would be saved in Acts chapter two.
4) Acts 8:14-21; 9:17; 19:1-6- Are additional references to regular believers, not Apostles, not just Jews, but folks like you and me getting saved and then shortly thereafter, in a separate encounter are Baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Note: Acts 10:44-48 shows one instance where folks were saved, filled with the Spirit and then water baptized.
IV. Receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit
A. This Gift is for the Born Again Christian
When an individual repents and receives the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, he/she becomes eligible for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
B. Received by Grace through Faith
The New Birth, is a gift received by the sinner by grace through faith- Ephesians 2:8-9. Likewise, the child of God, must also release faith in God’s Word concerning the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to receive this promise.
Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Foundations for Christian Living - 186 - As faith came from hearing the good news that Jesus saves; when acted upon, the miracle of the New Birth takes place. As faith comes from hearing the wonderful promise of being baptized with the Holy Spirit will cause faith to come; when acted upon, the promise is realized!
C. Laying on of Hands or Not
Laying on of Hands: Acts 8:14-21; 9:17; 19:1-6
No Hands: Acts 2:4; 10:44-48
D. The Spirit gives the Utterance but YOU do the Speaking!
Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
When it comes to receiving the impartation, here are a few tips that will help in receiving:
1- First, get a solid foundation from God’s Word on the whole subject. 2- Make sure your heart is free from any unconfessed sin- condemnation robs you of faith. 3- When hands are laid on you or when receiving privately, don’t talk in a known tongue- like English. 4- The Spirit gives the utterance, but you do the speaking; simply give volume to the Spirit’s utterance. 5- Don’t let the sound throw you, it may sound like baby talk- who cares, just speak it out. 6- Yes your mind and the Devil will fight you on this, don’t be timid, move your tongue and let er fly!
If nothing seems to happen- DON’T GIVE UP! Hebrews 11:6 says that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Remember, your Father God really wants you to receive this promise. Get back in the Word and/or have a mature believer walk you through it one on one- you will receive if you don’t quit, Hebrews 6:12!
Speaking with other tongues is not all there is to the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, but it is an important part. The essence of being filled with the Spirit is to receive power to fulfill the great commission. Speaking with other tongues is a means to this end. Most of the time, folks are having trouble learning to yield and speak the sounds and utterances that come out of their spirit by the Holy Spirit. Our minds want to figure it out and process it. Remember that speaking in other tongues is an ability unlocked by the Spirit for our spirit to speak mysteries to God for our edification or for intercession.
1 Corinthians 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.
Jude 20-21 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Foundations for Christian Living - 187 - Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
Just as there are different kinds of prayers that are directed and inspired by the Holy Spirit, one of them is speaking with other tongues. It is beautiful and powerful means of communication with God, to energize and recharge our spiritual batteries. It is God’s will that we live a Spirit-Filled life, living in the overflow, maintaining the glow of God’s glory in our lives. This will ensure that we are ready for every opportunity to be a blessing to others. Whether it is to witness to the lost, pray for the sick, encourage a fellow believer or exercise dominion over the devil in Jesus’ Name.
Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
1 Corinthians 14:14-18 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
V. Powerful Results
The Scriptures are very clear concerning the Kingdom of God- it is a Kingdom of power!
1 Corinthians 2:4-5; 4:20 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection…
Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Ephesians 1:19-20 His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms
In a nut-shell, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an amplification of God’s presence and operations in our lives. From opening the Scriptures in a clearer and deeper way, to super-charging your prayer life, deeper compassion and love for people, particularly the lost. A new boldness to preach the Word, resisting temptation and exercising spiritual authority over the devil to just name a few!
Foundations for Christian Living - 188 - Spirit Enabling Power to:
1- Boldness to be a witness for Christ- Acts 4:8; 9:28 2- Dynamic Praise and Worship- Acts 16:25 3- Generosity in Giving- Acts 4:32-34 4- Opens the Door for Supernatural Signs and Wonders- Acts 5:12-16; 5- Power in Prayer- Acts 4:23-31
Simply look at the results of the Spirit filled Early Church in the New Testament, and you will see that the results speak for themselves.
Acts 6:5, 8 They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
It just makes sense, if God has called us to fulfill the Great Commission, we need a Great amount of Power to walk in the footsteps of Jesus- 1 John 2:6. To attempt to follow God without the power of God is an endeavor that falls into a system of works- our strength is very limited, which takes the joy out of following Jesus.
Romans 14:17-18; 15:13 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
VI. Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts
As I have just mentioned, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit opens the door for a great manifestation of the Holy Spirit to operate through your life and ministry. The Scriptures have much to say on the subject, so with this limited time we will hit the main points.
A. God does not want you Ignorant Concerning Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
In the 12th chapter of first Corinthians, the nine manifestations of the Spirit are presented. They are not gifts, in the sense that a person possesses one and can exercise it anytime he/she wants. Rather, they describe the various manners in which the Holy Spirit chooses to manifest Himself as He chooses, when He chooses and through whom He chooses.
1. Revelation Manifestations- Reveals Something
Everything within the realm of knowledge- facts, events, purpose, motive, origin, destiny; human, divine, or satanic; natural or supernatural; past, present, or future- comes within the focal range of the word of wisdom(Greatest), the word of knowledge(2nd greatest) and the manifestation of discerning of spirits(3rd greatest of the revelation gifts).
Foundations for Christian Living - 189 - They include in their comprehensive scope all that God knows. There is nothing God knows that may not be made known to man as the Spirit wills through the operation of one or more of these three gifts! The word of wisdom gives us a revelation of the mind and purpose of God; therefore, it is ranked first among the revelation gifts. The word of wisdom always deals with the future. The word of knowledge gives us a revelation of things present or past. The discerning of spirits gives us insight into the spirit world.
Word of Wisdom The word of wisdom is a supernatural revelation by the Spirit of God concerning the divine purpose in the mind and will of God. God has all wisdom and all knowledge. He knows everything, but He never reveals to anybody everything that He knows. He just gives them a word of what He knows. A word is a fragmentary part of a sentence, and so it is with wisdom.
The word of wisdom, like the word of knowledge, may be given by an audible voice, a vision, or a dream. It may come through the vocal gift of prophecy, or through tongues and interpretation. In the Old Testament, Joseph received a word of wisdom through a dream which revealed God’s plan and purpose for the future- look at Acts 11:28-30 concerning a future prediction!
Word of Knowledge The Word of Knowledge is the supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit of certain facts in the mind of God. God is all knowledge and He knows everything. Fortunately for us, He does not reveal everything He knows to man. He gives him just a word, or a part of what He knows concerning the past and present.
Therefore, this supernatural manifestation of knowledge from the Holy Spirit of God has nothing to do with academics, someone’s IQ, experience or studying the Bible a lot. This is divine revelation of things not known to the individual. It was revealed to Ananias that a man named Saul was expecting a visit from Ananias. The Lord revealed this revelation knowledge to a regular believer. What was revealed to Peter concerning Ananias and Sapphira was also a Word of Knowledge. There are plenty more examples throughout the Bible.
Discerning of Spirits Not to be confused with a person claiming to have a gift of “Discernment” of being suspicious, judgmental and speculative of others- there is no such gift in the Bible!
It actually has a more limited range than the other revelation gifts, because its revelation is limited to a single class of objects- spirits. Revelations that the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge bring are broader and apply to people, places, and things, whereas the discerning of spirits gives supernatural insight into only the realm of spirits. It is important to realize that the manifestation of discerning of spirits is not just the, “discerning of devils or evil spirits” only. It is supernatural insight into the realm of spirits both good and bad.
Moses sees God- Exodus 33:18-23 Isaiah the prophet- Isaiah 6:1-5 An example of this is found in the Apostle Paul’s ministry- Acts 16:16-18
Foundations for Christian Living - 190 - 2. Power Manifestations- Do Something
Special Faith Remember that the gift of faith, like all the other manifestations of the Spirit, is supernatural. It is the greatest of the three gifts of power. It is a manifestation of the Spirit to the believer so that he might receive miracles. The working of miracles is a gift of the Spirit given to the believer so that he might work miracles. One gift receives, and the other gift does something. One gift is passive- it receives. The other gift is active- it works. In the KJV translation of the Bible 1 Corinthians 12:10 puts it, “To another the WORKING of miracles…” When you perform a miracle, that’s “working” a miracle. However, when you receive a miracle, you don’t “work” it, and that’s the gift of special faith in operation.
The gift of faith was used by the patriarchs of old for direct supernatural blessings or fulfillment of human utterances. When these patriarchs were about to die, they would lay their hands on their sons and would command blessings upon them. Often these blessings did not come to pass until many years later. We see this in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph. These patriarchs believed their pronouncements would come to pass at the appointed time in the future. This was the gift of faith in operation.
The Gift of faith for raising the Dead Remember, that spiritual gifts often work together in order to accomplish the task at hand. In the case of raising the dead, three gifts operate together- the gift of faith, the working of miracles, and the gifts of healings. This is one reason we don’t see too many people raised from the dead. Some Christians may be used by the Holy Spirit through some of these manifestations, but not too many have all of them in operation.
First of all, in the raising of the dead it takes special faith from God to call a person’s spirit back when it has left the body. It then takes a working of miracles to raise the person by restoring decayed and dead tissue. Finally, it takes the gifts of healings to remedy the original cause of death; otherwise, if the person is not healed he would immediately die again.
Working of Miracles From a Biblical Perspective:
A miracle is a supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of nature; a temporary suspension of the accustomed order through the Spirit of God.
After Elijah ascended to heaven in a chariot in the whirlwind, Elisha received his mantle and struck the Jordan River with it. Dividing the waters by a sweep of his mantle is an example of working of miracles in operation- an intervention in the ordinary course of nature.
We see the working of miracles all throughout the ministry of Jesus. For example when Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding in Cana in Galilee, or multiplying the bread and fish to feed thousands- examples of supernatural interventions.
Gifts of Healings
1 Corinthians 12:28 NKJV And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings…
Foundations for Christian Living - 191 - Notice that in verse twenty-eight, both the words “gifts” and “healings” are plural. This is the way it should be in every one of the verses, for this is the way it is in the Greek. Notice, too, this is the only one of the gifts of the Spirit which is in the plural. All the others refer to only one gift. Why are they “gifts of healings” and not the “gift of healing”? I really don’t know, but I have my opinion. I don’t think any of us could know for a certainty, because the Scripture doesn’t tell us specifically, but I think there are gifts of healings because there are different kinds of diseases- and one gift wouldn’t heal all kinds.
I have noticed in the ministries of others, that when these gifts are in operation, there is a greater degree of success in some areas of healing than in other areas. For some ministers there are certain kinds of diseases which are seldom healed in their ministries, yet certain other diseases are nearly always healed. “Why?” I don’t know. Perhaps in the process of time we will know more about this, for we are here to study and to learn. In the ministry of Jesus, every manner of sickness and every manner of disease was healed. All the gifts of healings were in manifestation, because Jesus had the Spirit “without measure.”
3. Utterance Manifestations- Say Something
Prophecy Prophecy is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit upon a believer in the form of supernatural utterance in a known tongue.
Prophecy is the most important of the three gifts of inspiration or utterance. The reason it is the most important is because it takes the other two- divers kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues- to equal prophecy according to 1 Corinthians 14:5.
The Hebrew word that is translated “to prophesy” means “to flow forth.” It carries the thought “to bubble forth like a fountain, to let drop, to lift up, to tumble forth, and to spring forth.” The Greek word that is translated “to prophesy” means “to speak for another.” It means to speak for God, or to be His spokesman.
The simple gift of prophecy should not be confused with the prophetic office. 1 Corinthians 14:3, says, “But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.” Thus, we can readily see that in the simple gift of prophecy there is no revelation. In the office of a prophet, however, we often find revelation coming forth even by prophecy.
It is also interesting to note the difference between prophecy in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, prophecy is essentially foretelling future events, whereas in the New Testament it shifts strongly to forth telling. In the simple gift of prophecy there is no foretelling whatsoever. Notice that Paul is telling the whole Church at Corinth to eagerly desire spiritual gifts- “especially the gift of prophecy.” Yet Paul had just gotten through telling them in the twelfth chapter of First Corinthians verse 12, that God has set in the church, “. . . first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers ...”
Then Paul asked, “Are all apostles?” The answer is no. “Are all prophets?” No, they couldn’t be. If prophesying made you a prophet, then Paul would be contradicting himself. However, the fact that you have prophesied doesn’t make you a prophet. It means that you have exercised the simple gift of prophecy. Thus, to stand in the office of the prophet, a person must have operating in his/her ministry the gift of prophecy plus at least two of the revelation gifts: either the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and/or the gift of discerning of spirits. Therefore, we should not confuse the office of the prophet with the simple gift of prophecy which all believers are told to eagerly desire. All can have the gift of prophecy, because God wouldn’t have told us to eagerly desire something that wasn’t available to us. All can prophesy, but we can’t all be prophets just like we all can’t be apostles.
Foundations for Christian Living - 192 - The things that mark an Apostle:
2 Corinthians 12:12 “The things that mark an apostle — signs, wonders and miracles — were done among you with great perseverance.”
Tongues The manifestation of the Spirit of God which gives the Spirit filled believer the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues is not to be confused with the devotional gift of speaking in other tongues; which is the initial sign of being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire according to Acts chapter 2 and verse four. The former is a message that is meant to be interpreted in a known tongue in order for yourself and others to be edified- this gift is exercised as the Spirit wills. The latter is a personal devotional communication line between you and God- Isaiah 28:11-12
God had prophesied in the Old Testament that He would pour out His Spirit in Joel 2:28-29
Speaking with tongues has nothing whatsoever to do with linguistic ability; it has nothing to do with the mind or the intellect of man. It is a vocal miracle! The gift of tongues is the most prominent of the three vocal gifts- or as they are sometimes called, gifts of utterance or inspiration- the gift of prophecy, diverse kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
Note: The gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues are distinctive to this dispensation. We see all the other gifts of the Spirit — the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, special faith, working of miracles, gifts of healings, and prophecy — in operation in the Old Testament. In the ministry of Jesus we see all the gifts of the Spirit in operation except tongues and interpretation. The gifts of speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues are distinctive to the dispensation in which we live. Therefore, they are more in use- “they will speak in new tongues …” Mark 16:15-18!
We should not be too concerned about our ministering in tongues and interpreting in public. We should be primarily concerned with maintaining tongues in the place where they principally belong as a devotional gift to assist us in prayer and in the worship of God. God will use some people in public utterance in tongues, but that is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit as He wills.
Therefore, one reason we speak in tongues is because Jesus said this is a sign which will follow believers. It is the scriptural evidence; that is, it is the initial evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. One preacher disagreed with this, saying, “John the Baptist was full of the Holy Ghost and he didn’t speak with tongues. Prophets of the Old Testament had the Holy Ghost, but they never spoke in tongues.” I replied, “Yes, but we are not living under the Old Covenant.” What happened back then is an example for us now. We desire the Holy Spirit in operation in our lives, according to the dispensation in which we live.
Therefore, we have to start with the Acts of the Apostles. We can’t go back to the Old Covenant, because we are not living there. John the Baptist was a prophet under the Old Covenant. Jesus Himself said concerning John, in Matthew 11:11, “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” In this dispensation, we have a better covenant established on better promises- Hebrews 8:6, and particularly in the area of the Holy Spirit.
Foundations for Christian Living - 193 - Interpretation of Tongues As we have said, prophecy is supernatural utterance in a known tongue. Divers kinds of tongues is supernatural utterance in an unknown tongue. The interpretation of tongues is the supernatural showing forth by the Spirit the meaning of an utterance in other tongues. It is not translation of the tongues; it is the interpretation of tongues. The manifestation of interpretation of tongues is the least of the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit, because it is dependent upon another gift in order to operate. It does not operate unless the gift of tongues has first been in operation.
The purpose of this gift of interpretation of tongues is to render the gift of tongues intelligible to the hearers so that the Church, as well as the possessor of the gift, may know what has been said and may be edified. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:5, “He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.”
Interpretation, Not Translation As we have noted, the interpretation of tongues is not translation. Often time’s people wonder why it is that when someone speaks at length in tongues, an interpreter will occasionally give only a short interpretation. Because interpretation is simply showing forth supernaturally by the Spirit of God the meaning of what was said in tongues, the interpretation may not require as many words as the original message. Similarly, someone may give a short utterance in tongues, yet the interpretation may be lengthy. The same principle of clarity is involved: It may take longer to give the interpretation in order to clearly show forth the meaning of the message.
If the person who is interpreting tongues is also used in prophecy, he/she may finish the interpretation and go on into prophecy. Most people who are keen in the Spirit can readily recognize the difference, because the instant one speaks forth prophecy, his words take on more authority and a greater anointing: There is more inspiration and a greater blessing to prophecy.
Interpretation in Private Prayer Life 1 Corinthians 14:13-15
According to verse thirteen, those who speak in other tongues are instructed to pray for the gift of inter- pretation. The reason Paul instructs us to seek this gift is not necessarily that we may interpret publicly, but rather that we may interpret our private prayers, if God so wills. Knowing what we are praying would greatly edify us spiritually and if God wished to use us publicly to interpret messages in tongues that would be an added blessing.
May I suggest that a great way to get started interpreting tongues would be in our own private prayer lives? Someday you may suddenly realize that what you are speaking in your native tongue, is what you have been praying about in other tongues- It would be the interpretation of it. Of course, God knows what we are praying about in tongues, because we are talking to Him, but sometimes He wants us to know what we are praying about too.
B. The Holy Spirit will NOT Interrupt Himself
The Apostle Paul by the Spirit of God sets for guidelines for us to follow in order to curb excess, maintain unity and edification for the saints. When the Spirit of God is directing the order of a service, He will not cause folks to carry themselves in a manner that creates confusion or projects anything other than edification. Not to limit spiritual gifts to only feel good messages, even a word a reproof is edifying if spoken by the Spirit and not the flesh.
Paul devotes the entire fourteenth chapter of first Corinthians to the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and interpretation Then he goes on to state in verse 33 (KJV), “God is not the author of confusion.” Paul means that in the use- or misuse- of prophecy, tongues, and interpretation there is sometimes confusion.
Foundations for Christian Living - 194 - Unfortunately, countless Christians have been in services where the misuse of these gifts had occurred and have gone home confused. Ministers should not allow this to happen in their services, instead they should try to point out any errors and explain them to the people so they won’t go home confused.
This doesn’t mean that the devil was working in those services. It just means that people can get things mixed up. If we learn to stay in the Spirit, walk according to the Word, and follow Paul’s admonition to “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40), we will not have confusion in our services.
Excessive use of spiritual gifts can do more harm than good! This is the mistake the Corinthian believers were making and one that we often make. Discussing public ministry in tongues, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:27-28, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two or at the most three should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.” In the Greek the words “two” and “three” are personal pronouns and refer to people. Paul was simply saying that not more than two or three people should speak in a service. In the next verse he said, “Let the prophets speak two or three. . . .” There may be more prophets present who could speak, but in any one service only two or three of them should speak. This order in the service is a guideline that will prevent confusion from too much information. Also 1 Corinthians 14:32, “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.” You may have a word from the Lord but it needs to be held until the proper time or not spoken at all!
We need to be very careful to walk softly before the Lord. We need to remain open to Him as we walk quietly, honorably, and reverently about spiritual matters. And we need to invite the operation of the Spirit of God among us and maintain a spirit of humility.
Sometimes we just need practical advice concerning these manifestations to help us maintain good order in our services. Then even visitors could understand and be impressed by our good order. More important, we would not grieve the Spirit of God.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
He has been grieved at times in some churches- grieved by wanting to manifest Himself and not being permitted to do so, and grieved by the way some people do things out of order! When someone is uttering a message in tongues, a person who is used in the gift of interpretation should immediately begin to be in tune with the Spirit (if he is not already), because the Lord may want to use him in the operation of that gift.
Sometimes a believer may have waited for someone else to interpret and they have waited for someone else as well. Any one of them could have interpreted the message in tongues, but they all lost it because they didn’t tune in to the Holy Spirit. We will not get things from God unless we are tuned in to Him. This is the reason why we sometimes don’t have an interpretation of an utterance. When you have missed it, simply say to the person who gave the message in tongues, “Please give that again, and I will interpret it.” You will find that when they start speaking, you will get in the Spirit, and God will give you the interpretation.
A final point I want to stress about tongues and interpretation is found in first Corinthians 14:26, “All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” When something is done in the Spirit- and this is one way to judge if it is in the Spirit - it will be edifying, inspiring, and it will be a blessing. Note: Of course, if we are out of tune with the Spirit, we are not in a position to judge.
Manifestations of spiritual gifts do need to be judged, however. After all, we do judge them, whether we do it publicly or not, because we either accept or reject them. We can’t always accept just any man’s judgment, however; only the judgment of those who are sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Foundations for Christian Living - 195 -
Remember, that all of the nine spiritual gifts operate by faith. They do not operate by the gift of faith; they operate by common or general faith. If you believe, all things are possible to you!
Mark 9:23- Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
VII. One Infilling – Many Re-Fillings
Finally, a critical point needs to be made in regards to staying full of the Spirit or to maintain the glow. When it comes to keeping our edge and staying filled with the Spirit, we need to realize that we are cracked vessels; in other words we leak.
When you are first filled with the Spirit, you have a full tank, but as you go through life, you are making withdrawals on that anointing and it needs to be replenished by:
1- Getting full of God’s word 2- Praying in a known and unknown tongue 3- Praise and Worship 4- Fellowship with believers individually and corporately 5- Avoiding sin since it acts as a big drain on your spirit
Proverbs 4:23- Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
It is God’s will for His children to live spirit filled lives, to stay full of the Spirit and not allow ourselves to run on empty- I believe this is when the spiritual valleys come into play. God has not left us, but left to our feelings we would live a roller-coaster Christian life. 2 Corinthians 5:7- “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Like after the day of Pentecost when the disciples were so full of the Spirit they were misunderstood as being intoxicated with natural wine, but it was the effect of spiritual wine that made them look inebriated- staggering, laughing, having a good time in God!
Ephesians 5:17-20 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice the Scriptures does not say, not to be drunk, just not by physical substances. The implication is clear, get drunk, filled and full of the Holy Spirit. Often the saints need a good time of refreshing from the Lord in order to keep their spiritual batteries fully charged- Acts 3:19.
From the Scriptures we see clearly that God does not have a problem with us having a good time and laugh. When God fills us with Holy Spirit joy, we can get “Drunk in the Spirit” by all appearances without all the nasty side effects- like hang over, violence and such. It’s a wonderful thing when believer succumbs completely to the influence of the Spirit of God- Great things will result for the Glory of God! We become more care free, embolden to speak the Word of God fearlessly.
Foundations for Christian Living - 196 - Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Psalms 126:1-3 When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
First Infilling of the Holy Spirit- Acts 2:4 Re-Filled with the Holy Spirit- Acts 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9; Ephesians 5:18
1 Corinthians 14:2-4 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
Ephesians 5:18-19 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.
Jude 1:20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Howard Carter said, “We must not forget that the speaking with other tongues is not only an initial evidence of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, it is a continual experience for the rest of his/her life, to assist in the worship of God. It is a flowing stream that should never dry up, and that will enrich the life spiritually.”
We need to remember what the Apostle Paul had said in 1 Corinthians 14:18, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” The devotional gift of speaking in other tongues for Spirit filled believers is meant to be an active part of our Christian experience.
Foundations for Christian Living - 197 - Bonus Material: Once Saved Always Saved?
A fundamental principle in Calvinism is called “Unconditional Election.” It states that God not only knew what choice every person would make in his/her life, God had actually decided what choices everyone would make. Therefore God had decided that certain people would live a Christian Life and be saved- supporting the concept of eternal security for the believer, also known as once saved always saved. Let’s look at this concept in light of the scriptures.
Unconditional Eternal Security is the belief that once an individual has been genuinely saved, he cannot, under any circumstances, lose his salvation. That is, he is eternally secure because all of his sins, both past, present and future, have been forgiven. This, in effect, means that once someone has been saved, he can fall into sin of any sort and still be saved. Proponents of this argue that a saved person will NOT fall into sin, such as drunkenness, but admit that if in the unlikely event that he does, then he remains saved but God disciplines him here on earth. So what does the Bible say about all of this?
Saved By Grace through Faith Without question the Bible is absolutely firm and clear that salvation is not earned or deserved. But is a gift that is received to whomever calls upon the name of the Lord- Romans 10:9-11. At one time, in our past, when we were lost in our sin, we needed a Savior, Jesus to pull us out of our quicksand of sin.
Romans 5:6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Romans 3:22-24 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
The reason I make this point concerning salvation is that I don’t want anyone to misunderstand that salvation is truly a free gift that is so easy to receive that a child can exercise faith in Jesus and be born again. I am amazed at how many people bring up this subject, “Can a Christian lose his/her salvation?” God wants us to know that we are saved, it is not rocket science. Romans 10:9 tells us if we confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God had raised Him from the dead we are saved- that is it, simple. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy and peace concerning your salvation.
1 John 5:13-14 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. Foundations for Christian Living - 198 - However, as we will soon discover through the Scriptures, a Christian cannot continue to live in sin without repentance, unwilling to change and expect to live long on this earth. Depending on the circumstances, he/she can be in danger of losing their salvation. God’s Word does not sugar coat this subject, God is love and the loving thing to do is to set the truth plainly on this matter for people to see and be warned- there is a real danger for Christians living in unrepentant sin. There are two ditches here that need to be addressed.
First the devil will try to torment Christians with the notion of losing their salvation when they sin and make mistakes. This tactic is used on sincere believers who are serving God and making mistakes along the way. You will soon see that new believers cannot commit the unpardonable sin or lose their salvation. The other ditch is that the enemy tries to push Christians over into is thinking they can abuse grace as a license for sin. To habitually and purposely live a lifestyle of sin and rationalize it as being okay or assuming God will forgive them for not repenting since they are once saved always saved.
Saved unto Good Works So we established the fact that salvation is received by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus Christ- it is the gift of God, not earned! Once we are saved, it becomes quite apparent that we are expected to work out into our lives the fruits of that salvation experience- we are saved unto good works.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are instructed to no longer live as unbelievers or sinners do. Since we have been changed spiritually on the inside through the new birth, the expectation is that we invoke that change on the outside in the form of new thinking which in turn translates into a new lifestyle- the mind is the key! Speak God’s Word so what is on the inside in put in force on the outside in outward actions- Ephesians 4:17-5:21.
Ephesians 4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 13:11-14 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Foundations for Christian Living - 199 - Romans 6:1-3 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
These are just a few Scriptures, but there are many, many more that drive the same point home. As Christians we have an obligation, a command from God to renew or reprogram our minds with the Word of God so our thinking is in line with God’s. As a result, we will be in a position to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, which simply means to use our bodies in a manner that pleases and honors God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-7:1 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
This brief discourse here is referring to progressive sanctification, or working the holy nature of our born again spirits out into our natural everyday lives so people can see the change Jesus makes!
Carnal Christians But what if a person chooses to go on living like the rest of the world for whatever reason? Is that okay? What are the consequences if they don’t choose to walk in holiness and sanctification, what if they continue living in sin as they once did? If a person claims to be a Christian, but there is no noticeable change in how they live and there is no motivation or desire to change, I would really call into question if they had even received a salvation experience in the first place.
1 John 3:7-10 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
Jesus said that you can recognize a person over time whether they are a Christian or not, by observing the fruit of their lives- specifically by the fruit of the recreated human spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Folks may be able to fool you for a while, but in time out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak. You can locate folks by what they say and how they live- Matthew 12:33-37. Going to church does not make us a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes us a hamburger- we must be born again!
Matthew 7:15-20 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Foundations for Christian Living - 200 - Matthew 7:21-27 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Now it’s understood that a brand new believer will have past habits, hang-ups and issues to deal with. However, it will become quite evident to others around him/her that a significant change has taken place in their lives. There is a real transformation that has taken place on the inside, and it is just a matter of time before it begins to dominate every area of life- it’s called ‘Eternal Life’ the life and nature of God. Every Christian is born into God’s family as a spiritual baby that needs to feed on the milk of God’s Word and grow- 1 Peter 2:1-3. Spiritual babes in Christ are immature spiritually, which means they have yet to learn to keep the sinful nature in their bodies from dominating their lives- Romans 8:1-14.
Spiritual maturity is measured by a person’s love walk, the more they walk in love the more spiritually mature they are. God is Love, the more we walk in the love of God, the more we are like Him. If a Christian never grows out of the babyhood stage of Christianity, it’s as embarrassing as it would be for a 30 year old walking around with visible diapers on. Ultimately it leads to a backslidden state in their walk with God which escalates the situation to a serious level if they choose to persist in not growing up spiritually.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
Hebrews 5:11-14 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Repentance from Acts that Lead to Death
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death
Failure to follow this elementary teaching in the Bible puts the believer at risk. As believers we must learn to turn our back on old lifestyles, habits and sins. This is done by God’s grace through our faith in God’s Word just as it was with salvation. Grace is God’s power at work in us who believe.
Foundations for Christian Living - 201 - As we begin to speak God’s Word out of my mouth continually on Scriptures that cover who we are in Christ, our minds are renewed; as a result, our lives are transformed. However, this is a choice that we have to make, God is not going to do it for us. The Holy Spirit is ready and willing to help us as we feed upon and put God’s Word into practice; as we pray, worship God and faithfully attend church. We will need to make some tough choices like changing friends who are bad influences or stop going to places that give the appearance of evil- but training in godliness is so worth it!
1 Timothy 4:7-8 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
As I was saying before, when a Christian sins, they will know it because their own heart will condemn them. If a person feels no regret or is not sorry for committing sin, I question if they were saved in the first place.
1 John 3:19-22 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
Hebrews 13:18-19 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
Godly repentance is clearly seen as a distinct virtue in the Bible, you know it when you see it. This is what true Christians experience in response to sin in their lives. In 1 Corinthians chapter 5, there was an instance in the church at Corinth where a son and his step-mother had an affair. Paul sharply rebukes them on this matter. In Paul’s Second letter, he acknowledged that they repented of this sin in 2 Corinthians 2:1-11. He goes on to talk about the signs of godly repentance in 2 Corinthians chapter 7. To repent means to have a change of heart and to turn around and go in a different direction. It’s not just feeling sorry because we were caught- Joel 2:13, “Rend your heart and not your garments.”
2 Corinthians 7:1, 8-13 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it — I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged.
When a person is truly a Christian but practices sin, there is an affect that sin will have on their heart. Oh yes, at first their heart will condemn them, but as they continue to practice it, slowly over time their heart becomes hardened or desensitized.
Foundations for Christian Living - 202 - The Bible calls it a searing of the conscience in 1 Timothy 4:2, “whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” This is really dangerous territory because the motivation to repent is gone at this point, and a Christian becomes backslidden and in danger of either premature death or losing their salvation- we will make this distinction soon. Christians have a clear mandate and obligation to keep away from sin through the power of the Spirit- Romans 8:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:2; Hebrews 3:6, 14; 10:36-39
Hebrews 3:7-13 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
‘If’ you Continue in the Faith Jesus Christ brought us the New Covenant, and like all covenants, conditions must be met if the benefits are to be received. Throughout the New Testament, the word ‘if’ is used many times in association with the promises of God, even salvation. When the conditions God sets by these ‘ifs’ are not met, then an individual can’t expect to receive the rewards- God never makes idle claims. Salvation is a free gift that is received in this life, but for it to last for eternity, we must remain true to Jesus till the end.
Hebrews 3:14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
We know through God’s Word that trials, tests and temptations come from Satan to sift us as wheat for one reason only, to cause us to turn our backs on Jesus- Luke 22:31-34. The devil brings persecutions and difficulties in an attempt to make our lives hard in order to discourage us from continuing to follow the Lord. What the devil is after is our salvation, our faith in Jesus Christ, he wants to steal it from us- don’t give into his schemes.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
Revelation 2:10, 13 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. I know where you live — where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city — where Satan lives.
Depending on where you live in this world, Satan’s techniques or approaches will pattern after the prevailing nature of that geographical place. In places like China or Islamic countries, the political and religious climate is hostile to the point where Christians are being martyred by the thousands every year.
Foundations for Christian Living - 203 - Other places like the western industrialized nations, we are not concerned with martyrdom, but rather being marginalized by cultural Christianity to the point where we become lukewarm. Through spiritual apathy, distractions and worldly entanglements the devil puts Christians to sleep in the light- 1 Thessalonians 5:6. The end result is still the same, for Christians to fall away from the faith- Luke 8:13!
Revelation 3:15-16 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
I want to point out the phrase in 1 Peter 4:18, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved.” According to the context, it’s referring to persecution, trials and tests that make it ‘hard’ for Christians to remain true and faithful to Jesus. It does not mean it is hard to receive salvation, but rather the challenge is in remaining saved and not turning your back on Jesus, it’s talking about endurance and perseverance!
1 Peter 4:12-19 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Hebrews 10:32-39 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
It is one thing to fall into sin repeatedly and each time repent and act on 1 John 1:9 and confess your sin to God. This is what 2 Timothy 2:13 is referring to as being ‘Faithless’, as our hearts are sincere, we are just struggling- God is faithful, merciful, committed and compassionate toward us Psalms 86:13; 108:4; 103:8-18; Lamentations 3:23. God practices what He preaches, if He tells us to forgive those who seek it, so will He even when sin is committed, even the same sin multiple times.
Luke 17:3-4 “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 204 - 2 Timothy 2:10-13 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
However, when a person rejects Jesus from the heart and turns on Him, that is something quite different. We are no longer talking about a sincere believer seeking God and experiencing moral failure along the way. This is a deliberate decision of the heart. Remember it was with the heart that a person believes unto salvation, it is from the heart that a person turns from God and loses it. So if a Christian is under great duress to recant Jesus or die, and he does so, but not from the heart, God will forgive him. But when a person is under no such pressure and chooses to no longer serve the Lord; that is a different matter.
I hope you are seeing the difference here, it’s a matter of the heart! But you might say, “I may not be able to help it if the pressure is too great to remain faithful to Jesus; what do I do if I give into peer pressure?” You are never a failure until you give up, so get back up on that horse so to speak and don’t quit. Keep running your spiritual race, keep fighting the good fight of the faith, don’t ever throw in the towel and say, “Well this Christian thing is too hard, it’s just easier to live like the world.” As long as you keep coming back to God, He will receive you and never turn you away- James 4:8; Lk. 5:11-32.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
James 5:19-20 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
I would like to now list a number of Scriptures that either have the word “If” in it or eludes to the principle that points out the conditional aspect of salvation becoming a permanent reality in the life of the believer. Remember, God is on our side, He wants us to spend eternity with Him in heaven, but we have a free will and as long as we continue to love and follow Him all the days of our lives we have nothing to be concerned about!
Colossians 1:23 …if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
1 Timothy 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Foundations for Christian Living - 205 - Revelation 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Mark 13:13 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:12-14 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:17-18 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
Warnings about Living in Deliberate Sin In the next list of Scriptures, you will notice that the context surrounding these passages are speaking to Christians and not unbelievers. The Epistles or letters in the New Testament (Romans – Revelations) were written to the Early Church, to believers in Jesus Christ. In those letters were many warnings, pointing out the clear and present danger of following away to either false teaching or living in sin. Both of which can be spiritually fatal to Christians. Since the same devil back then is in the world we live in today, we need to take to heart and be aware of the same dangers the Early Church faced!
1 Corinthians 6:7-11 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Foundations for Christian Living - 206 - Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:5-7 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
Romans 8:12-14 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Galatians 5:2-4 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
This next passage of Scripture in Ezekiel reveals an important concept: it’s not how we start our walk with God, but how we finish! I believe the Scriptures are explicit and plain enough on this matter.
Ezekiel 18:20-32 The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him. “But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Declares the Sovereign Lord.
Foundations for Christian Living - 207 - Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? “But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die. “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? “Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
In 1 Timothy 6:6-10 it addresses the fact that the love of money is a cause for Christians falling away, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” In the parable of the sower Jesus also stated that the “deceitfulness of wealth” chokes the Word in Mark 4:18-19.
Luke 7:23- “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
Hebrews 12:14-17 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
Two Unpardonable sins In the Bible there are references to two unpardonable sins that cannot be forgiven. The first one is in regards to the unbeliever who has never known Jesus as Lord to begin with. It was used in reference to the Pharisees who attributed the work of Jesus of casting our devils to the power of Satan. In other words, they were accusing Jesus of being possessed with Satan. They had sinned against the Holy Spirit, which is an eternal sin as Jesus pointed out.
Matthew 12:31-32 “And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 208 - Mark 3:28-29 “I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”
The second unpardonable sin is in reference to believers, only Christians can commit this sin, but only a certain kind of Christian, allow me to explain!
Hebrews 6:4-12 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case — things that accompany salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
So what this passage of Scripture is saying is that there are qualifications that must be met first in a Christian’s life before he/she would be in a position to commit this eternal sin.
1. Once been enlightened- Speaking of the initial conviction of the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus in John 16:8 2. Tasted the Heavenly Gift- That would be Jesus, being born again- John 3:16 3. Shared in the Holy Spirit- In regards to the Baptism with the Holy Spirit- Acts 3:39 4. Tasted the Goodness of the Word of God- A mature believer rooted and established in the Word- Ephesians 4:14-16 5. The Powers of the Coming Age- I believe this speaks of the manifestations of the Spirit operating through his/her life- 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
This is clearly not addressing baby Christians or new believers, this is full grown mature believers who know full well what they are doing, if they should fall away to be brought back to repentance. This is a deliberate and decisive move to turn ones back on Jesus, to disown and reject Him from their heart. That my friends is an eternal sin, that person, who was once a Christian going to heaven, will now spend eternity in the Lake of Fire! Even Moses mentioned made reference to being blotted out of the Book of Life in Exodus 32:32, “But now, please forgive their sin — but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
Allow me to provide another example for you, in the testimony of two or three witnesses let every mater be established- Matthew 18:16. Notice that in 2 Peter 2:1-3 the Apostle Peter is disclosing the fact that some Christians will deny the Lord who had bought them; meaning they were believers at one time.
Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
Foundations for Christian Living - 209 - 2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
2 Peter 2:13-15 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed — an accursed brood!
2 Peter 2:17-19 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity — for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
These former Christians who have fallen away were teachers and prophets gone bad; which denotes spiritual maturity in line with the qualifications of Hebrews 6:4-12. These despicable individuals were still hanging around other Christians pulling them down and enticing them to fall way from Christ! In my mind, these verses 20-22, seals the deal as to this truth. It makes it undeniably clear that if a person gets saved and turns their back on the Lord and returns to the world, they are worse off. It would have been better for them to have remained unsaved, than to taste of salvation and reject it afterwards.
2 Peter 2:20-22 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”
As a matter of fact in 1 John 5:16-17, it talks about a sin a Christian can commit that leads to death- the unpardonable sin. The Bible tells us not to even pray for them because they are beyond hope and help- they are eternally lost. However, in regards to others sins a Christian commits, we are told to pray for them and God would give him/her life.
1 John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
For Christians who deliberately keep on sinning, their heart can become hard and they can in time renounce Christ and turn their back on Him. This is why the subject of holiness is so important; that we hate sin and do everything we know to avoid it and turn from it!
Foundations for Christian Living - 210 - 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness .”
Hebrews 10:26-31 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Judging Ourselves or Else… So if I don’t meet the qualifications of Hebrews 6:4-12 for the unpardonable sin, what happens if I continue to live in sin without repenting? If we fail to judge ourselves as 1 Corinthians 11:31 says, than what is left is judgment. God is not going to condone our sin indefinitely, He will not become an accomplice to our spiritual crimes of sin.
Revelation 2:21 AMP I gave her time to repent, but she has no desire to repent of her immorality [symbolic of idolatry] and refuses to do so.
He will give us a period of time to repent, change and stop the behavior, but if we refuse than we will reap what we have sown. Sin opens the door to the devil (Ephesians 4:27), so God will allow the enemy to come in and kill, steal and destroy- John 10:10. That usually means pre-mature death by some accident or disease, but it sure beats continuing on in our sin and risking a hard heart that rejects Jesus and go to hell. Just look at verse 32, “so that we will not be condemned with the world” means going where the world is going and that is eventually to the Lake of Fire.
1 Corinthians 11:27-32 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
This Biblical principle of God allowing Satan to terminate our physical life so our spiritual soul will be saved is also mentioned in this next passage of Scripture listed on the next page. The word “Sinful Nature” in the Greek generally refers to the actual sinful human nature within the physical body. I believe that according to this context, that Paul was referring to the end of physical life.
NT:4561 sarx (sarx); probably from the base of NT:4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul [or spirit], or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties [physically or morally] and passions), or (specifically) a human being (as such):
Foundations for Christian Living - 211 - 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
Godly Fear Our goal in this teaching is to present the truth concerning these real dangers- to be forewarned is to be forearmed! Godly fear is not to be confused with the demonic spirit of fear that torments and terrorizes folks. Godly fear is a reverential respect and awe of God that keeps us from sin- Psalms 34:11-22!
Job 28:28 AMP But to man He said, Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord — that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Knowing that God is a Holy God, we hate sin and evil as a result. That is what I hope this teaching has accomplished. Our salvation is not to be trifled with! We are not to play with sin and see how close we can get to the world without getting into trouble. Our conviction is to be as far from sin and the world system as we can possible be and as close to our loving Heavenly Father as we possibly can be.
Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:11-12 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
Here are a number of Scriptures that further define the fear of the Lord, do you notice a common denominator about these passages?
Psalms 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Proverbs 8:13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Foundations for Christian Living - 212 - Proverbs 9:10-11 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 16:6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Proverbs 22:4 Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.
Proverbs 23:17-18 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
Stumbling Block As we begin to close the teaching on this topic, I believe that as Christians, we need to be sensitive about the choices that we make, and not become a stumbling block for the weak. For example, you may find it okay to drink a little wine with your dinner, but if you have knowledge that another person with a drinking problem is watching you. Your action may tip him/her over the edge to indulge, the Bible calls us into account for this.
Sometimes the mentality of the world gets in the Church, “Well that is their problem if they can’t handle it, I should not be denied a legitimate pleasure.” How we live has a profound effect on others, we need to be certain that it is always an influence that draws people to Jesus and not away from Him.
1 Corinthians 10:32-33 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Romans 14:19-23 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Foundations for Christian Living - 213 - 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
Please read Mark 9:42-50, which is a vivid depiction of the awfulness of sin and how personally God takes it when people cause others to fall. God does not intend for us to be paranoid, but to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He points out indiscretion in our lives, it’s for eternal reasons, so please take heed!
Watch Each Other’s Backs We are not islands unto ourselves, as Christians we are our brother’s keeper! We are in this together as the old saying goes, “United we stand, but divided we fall!” To be like Jesus is to go after that one sheep that is lost, that brother/sister in the Lord that is struggling in their faith.
Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
James 5:19-20 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Colossians 4:12-13 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
I appreciate your patience as I have been fairly verbose in supplying a great number of Scriptures to support this Biblical position because it is so important and is so misunderstood in the Body of Christ. God’s Word is our final authority for all matters that pertain to life and conduct. Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses deny the existence of a hell. I believe these religious spirits have deceived many Christians in believing in once saved always saved, to create a false sense of security. God does not want us to be ignorant and fall prey to the enemy. Our eternal salvation must be guarded, protected and contended for at all costs- remain faithful to Jesus till the end! Satan through this world system is after one thing in your life, your faith in Jesus- having done all to stand, stand in Jesus according to Ephesians 6:10-18!
Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Foundations for Christian Living - 214 - 2 Timothy 1:14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2 John 8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
1 John 5:2-5 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
If God seems distant who moved? It was not God but us, isn’t it! Remember that God is on our side, working in us, through us and for us, but remember we have a free will in all this. Our decisions in this life determine our eternal destiny.
Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
So let’s stay spiritually awake and alert, let’s not play church and flirt with sin and the world. If we keep a clear conscience and a sincere faith in Jesus, we have nothing to be concerned with according to 1 Timothy 1:18-19.
However, let’s not let our guard down for a minute, but be diligent to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness because in Jesus Christ, we win- Revelation 12:11!
Genesis 4:7 “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 215 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 216 -
Lesson Objective: What we don’t know can have an adverse effect upon our lives. Fortunately, the Bible has much to say about the spirit realm and its operation. So now we turn our attention to those spirits that function in this world other than the Holy Spirit. There is no reason for us to be afraid of Satan and his host, since Jesus has already defeated him 2,000 years ago. In order to enforce his defeat in our lives and in those around us we need to learn about the authority God has given to believers. This is a large subject area like the other lessons before this one, so we will focus on the main points, but it’s worth much further study. Finally we will talk about God’s elect angels that are His servants in this earth that listen and obey God’s Word. The Bible is a safe guide to make plain these simple truths.
Lesson Overview: Lesson 6: Angels, Satan and Demons- Origins and operations. Extraterrestrial spiritual agents of Light and Darkness:
A synopsis of Satan- His origin, fall, the garden, mission, defeat at Calvary and final destination The kingdom of Darkness- Hierarchy and classification, world system, tactics and operations Angels- Origin, classification, function- examples of operation throughout the Bible Authority of the Believer- The triumphant Christ Jesus, what is authority and the Name of Jesus
A. His Origin
There was an Arch-Angel at one time named Lucifer- an Arch-Angel is a high ranking angel. Isaiah 14:12-17 (KJV), “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” He had authority given to him upon this earth, a throne over the nations of that time. He had dominion given to him, just as God had given dominion to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28.
Isaiah 14:12-15 You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
Notice that he said, “I will raise my throne above the stars of God…” his throne being on this planet, and the “Stars of God” being the other angels. Here we have an account of the original Star Wars! Lucifer’s rebellion along with 1/3 of the other angelic host that raised arms against God’s authority; a feeble attempt to de-throne God in a coup; Revelation 12:4- “His (Satan) tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 217 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 218 - Ezekiel chapter 28 :11 – 19 is another significant passage that speaks of Satan’s rebellion. At that time, the Pre-Adamite earth was referred to as “Eden, the garden of God.” When Satan was in the Garden of Eden, we was already a fallen creature. However, before his fall he apparently had dominion on this earth given to him by God over the nations of that time- before our time.
Ezekiel 28:12 You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God.
Lucifer was originally created a perfect angelic being, but unfortunately it all went to his head and was lifted up in pride. Notice the reference to ‘kings’ on the earth, again this is before Adam and Eve. To have kings, there must be kingdoms, nations, peoples, cultures etc. Another race of beings other than angels had inhabited this earth. Jesus as the ‘Word of God’ before His incarnation into earth witnessed Satan’s defeated rebellion- Luke 10:18-19, “Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
Ezekiel 28:15, 17 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
1 Timothy 3:6-7 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
God destroys Lucifer’s kingdom on earth completely, by destroying every created thing, inhabitants, and all vegetation. He then turns the earth upside down so-to-speak, and by means of a great flood makes it empty and waste- formless and void. The length of this Pre-Adamite flood on the earth is unknown, but it was devastating!
Jeremiah 4:23-26 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
Genesis 1:1-2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
We cannot say exactly how old the earth is because we do not know when the beginning was. God’s creation of the heavens and the earth in the beginning as stated in Genesis 1:1 could have been millions and billions of years ago. If geologists can prove the age of the earth to be what they claim, we have no scriptural authority to disagree. They cannot contradict the Bible, for it does not reveal any time element in connection with the earth’s original creation.
I’m not presenting this dogmatically, because we don’t have enough light on this from the Scriptures to be dogmatic. However as you can see, we do get a glimpse here and there, so we do have something to work with.
Foundations for Christian Living - 219 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 220 - This much is certain, according to Scripture, the earth is more than 6,000 years old and there were inhabitants on the earth before the days of Adam.
Mankind on the Earth – Adam was created around 6,000 years ago!
The genealogies of Luke 3:23-38 describes the godly line from Adam to Jesus.
A generation is calculated to be around 40 years- Numbers 32:13
Matthew 1:17 describes 42 generations from Abraham to Jesus- 1,680 years Genesis chapter 5 describes the generations from Adam to Noah- 2,242 years (Septuagint) From Jesus until today- 2,000 years 5,922
This explains why geologists have found fossil records dating so old by carbon dating. These creatures belonged to the Pre-Adamite age millions of years ago. Besides dinosaurs, these fossils depict ape-like Neanderthals with primitive tools they had used as hunters and gatherers. The Bible does not have a lot to say about what happened between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
The earth was cursed and flooded, as in Genesis 1:2 because of sin before the 6 days of re-creation in Genesis 1:3 - 2:25. Lucifer was already a fallen creature when he came into Adam’s Eden, having already ruled the earth, rebelled and caused the first flood. The word “was” in Genesis 1:2 would be better translated in the Hebrew ‘hayah’ as “became.” So this verse should read, “Now the earth became formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep…” because of rebellion and the resulting judgment. Obscuring of the sun and consequent darkness are always the result of judgment- Joel 2:31.
B. The Garden
So having looked at Satan’s fall, 1/3 of God’s previously elect angels and Pre-Adamite spirits known today as demons who had foolishly joined in that rebellion, we have a composite picture of Satan’s entourage for today.
Ephesians 6:12-13 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
When God had placed Adam and Eve into this newly re-created planet, God told them to replenish the earth from the original creation that had just been destroyed. Satan and his hosts were still here in the earth as spirit beings without physical bodies as it is today. I am sure he looked with envy upon God’s new creation and mankind, a new race of people that have received such favor from God.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.
Foundations for Christian Living - 221 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 222 - Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.
In Genesis chapter three, the temptation of Adam and Eve is attributed to the serpent who is said to have been, “more crafty than any of the wild animals.” Remember, that it was Adam’s responsibility to keep or protect the Garden of Eden from intruders.
The serpent allowed Satan to manifest himself through it in order to address Adam and Eve with a proposition to rebel against God, just as he originally had done with one third of the angels. Now remember, Satan and his host of rebels (fallen angels and pre-Adamite spirits known as demons) were imprisoned on the earth without a kingdom. They had witnessed what God had done for mankind and were waiting for an opportunity to strike again at God by usurping Adam’s authority.
Many scholars believe that the serpent was originally an upright animal and was the most beautiful of all the creatures. This seems likely because the curse upon the serpent reduced it to a crawling, slithering creature. Satan finally had an opportunity through the cooperation of the serpent to beguile Adam and Eve into committing high treason, thus rebelling against God through disobedience and thus turning over man’s dominion and authority over to Satan the usurper.
John 10:1-3- Jesus explained that Satan was not created as a part of God’s redesign of earth and the introduction of mankind into this world. Satan was an outsider, an alien wanting in, a thief and a robber- “but climbs in by some other way.” Through the serpent and deceit he tricked Adam and Eve to give over the keys to the kingdom. Satan’s objective was to steal man from God as a way of getting back at God. Satan wanted to rule again and set up his kingdom of darkness and dominate mankind.
Here is something important that we should know, it’s a universal law, that a person becomes a slave to the person he/she obeys. If Satan could get Adam and Eve to obey his words and do what he says, Adam and Eve would then become his slave and Satan would have Adam’s dominion. Satan took the same approach when he had tempted Jesus, if he could just get Jesus to do what he told him, he would have defeated the Lord. However, Jesus overcame the devil by speaking His Word!
Romans 6:16-17- Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Luke 4:5-8- The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Notice his statement, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.” That’s right sports fans, Satan stole that authority from Adam in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve obeyed Satan and rebelled against God, Satan become the god of this world instead of Adam and Eve. When we say ‘world’ we are referring to the culture, economic and political affairs of man; the world system is what Satan is god over. Creation as we said before still belongs to God. Satan is the god of this world now, that’s why it’s in such a mess- God allowed it because He honored Adam’s & Eve’s free-will choice! 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 John 5:19-20.
Foundations for Christian Living - 223 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 224 - C. Satan’s Mission, Defeat and Eternal Destination
He not changed from his first rebellion, he wants to rule the universe in place of God. He gained his foothold through Adam’s fall back in the Garden in this earth, and would become a second staging ground for another attack. This one will take place in the earth’s atmosphere sometime in the future.
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down — that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
In the midst of God pronouncing judgment in the Garden after Adam and Eve’s transgression, a promise was made that would change the destiny of mankind and undo what Satan had just done in the Garden. The seed of the woman, meaning a man born of woman would crush Satan’s authority and release mankind from the slavery of sin and death. In other words, it would bring about the eventual doom of Satan- Revelation 1:18, Hebrews 2:14-15, Colossians 2:15. However, in the process of crushing Satan’s dominion, Satan will have the opportunity to inflict pain and suffering on Jesus via the beatings and crucifixion- Please read all of Isaiah 53 for details!
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Through the fulfillment of the promised offspring or seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, we have been given back Adam’s lost dominion. Through Jesus Christ we are more than conquerors and can reign in this life over Satan and the effects of death and sin- Romans 8:37. If the rapture does not take place in our life time, our bodies will experience physical death, but only after we have been satisfied with long life and enjoyed God’s salvation all the days of our lives- Psalm 91:16.
Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
The effect of the fall of man is still seen in creation today, and the misery on this earth due to Satan being the god of this world. However, the good news is that Satan is not our god any more, Jesus is! We can now enjoy abundant life here and now while we run our course on this earth with joy!
In Luke 16:19-31, there is a story that actually took place in the past that Jesus narrated of a man who went to hell. The confining place in the center of the earth that serves as a holding tank for those who are awaiting judgment- Matthew 12:40. Hell is not the final destination, it is like a jail, a temporary place until those lost souls face the Great White Throne of judgment. It is at this place in the future where God will sentence them to eternal banishment into the Lake of Fire which is the second and final place for all rebellious spirits, Satan, fallen angels, demons and humans- Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8. Even Death and Hell itself will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire will be Satan’s eternal home where he will be tormented day and night along with those who joined him in his rebellion. Sad, Satan is already doomed yet he tries to take as many people with him as possible.
Foundations for Christian Living - 225 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 226 -
2 Corinthians 2:11 AMP To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions.
From the above Scripture our goal out of this lesson is for the believer to be made aware of Satan’s nature, schemes and operations so he can’t take advantage of our ignorance of him. Satan prefers anonymity, if he can deceive people into thinking he does not exist, than no one will oppose him, he can operate in this world with impunity. Through the light of God’s Word we are going to expose a number of his dark secrets so we can put him in his place, under our FEET in a place of defeat.
A. The Nature of the Beast
In regards to nature, purpose and tactics, when we describe Satan we are also describing how his entire kingdom operates- fallen angels, demons, the works! Certainly there are different levels of evil and wickedness (Luke 11:26) within the kingdom of darkness, but in a nut shell they are all united with the same goal in mind- oppose everything that is of God! Names in the Bible describe the identity of the individual, their nature and character:
Lucifer- (Used Once)- Morning Star- his name given him by God before his fall Satan - (Used 56 times)- The Adversary Devil- (Used 33 times)- The Accuser and Slanderer
Serpent- Deceitfulness(2 Corinthians 11:3), Dragon- powerful(Revelation 20:2), Beelzebub- Prince of the demons(Matthew 10:25), Tempter- Seduction to sin(1 Thessalonians 3:5), Wicked, Evil or Lawless One- Speaks of his character(Matthew 13:19), Prince of this World- His rule and influence(John 16:11), Prince of the Power of the Air- Darkness ruling, earth’s atmosphere(Ephesians 2:2), god of this World- Rules world system(2 Corinthians 4:4), Deceiver- It’s what he does(Revelation 20:10), Accuser- Ceaseless contesting(Revelation 12:10), Angel of Light- Deceptive(2 Corinthians 11:13-15), Murderer- Source and instigator of death(John 8:44), Father of Lies- All he does(John 8:44), Roaring Lion- Fierceness to devour(1 Peter 5:8), Destroyer- Handiwork(Revelation 9:11)
It is vital that you understand that Satan incarnates all that is evil and wicked in this world, he is the reason and the source. His very person embodies death in all its forms and expression of sickness, disease, hate, murder, lying, cheating, etc. The Bible talks about the “Curse of the Law”, the consequences of not keeping the covenant law or commandments in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. The devil lives to inflict people with these curses, looking for opportunities, seeking whom he may devour, watching, waiting- it’s what he does. God allows it when people get into sin, but He is not the author or creator of it. It is Satan who manufactures, creates and distributes all that is bad and evil in this earth. HIV, Cancer, Homosexuality, Gossip, you name it, if it’s bad it came from the devil. Tornadoes, hurricanes and floods are not an “Act of God” but the result of sin in this world. It is imperative that we get our facts straight in this matter or according to 2 Corinthians 2:11, lest Satan takes advantage of us! We had previously talked about ‘Good God, Bad devil’ theology, in this study it becomes quite clear! To understand Satan’s nature fully, read the description of Satan’s sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21, the same nature within his children- unsaved folks 1 John 3:7-10.
John 10:10 AMP- The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). Foundations for Christian Living - 227 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 228 - B. Satan’s Hierarchy
Ephesians chapter 6 gives us some insight into the hierarchy within the kingdom of darkness. Obviously Satan has placed himself at the top of the food chain. Beneath him are fallen angels, referred to in one translation of Ephesians 6:12 as “Wicked spirits…” that have regional authority. Daniel 10:13, 20-21 is an account of Gabriel and Michael, elect Arch-Angels of God engaged is spiritual warfare with the king of Persia, “Satan” the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece, fallen angels. The highest class of demonic authority are ‘world rulers’ and then ‘powers’ and finally’ principalities’. Leadership begins from the top down, giving orders to the others to do their bidding.
Ephesians 6:10-12 AMP In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.
Within Satan’s kingdom, there are demonic spirits that specialize in various vices, diseases, witchcraft, etc. They have had thousands of years to practice their evil deeds upon humans throughout the centuries. Remember according to John 10:10, Satan’s agenda is simply to kill, steal and destroy, let’s look at some of his agents whose goals are these aims:
A spirit of infirmity- Peddling in sickness and disease, creating suffering, misery and death
Luke 13:11-12, 16 NKJV And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up… “So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound — think of it — for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
Acts 10:38 AMP How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.
Familiar spirits- These demonic spirits are familiar with people’s lives and reveal facts about them
Leviticus 19:31 NKJV Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.
Unclean spirits- In the Greek it refers to moral lewdness, particularly sexual sins
Mark 1:23 NKJV- Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.
This is not at all an exhaustive list, but for the scope of this study we have enclosed a few classifications. Foundations for Christian Living - 229 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 230 - C. The World System
Satan is referred to in Ephesians 2:2-3 as, “The ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” His activities include the ceaseless manipulations of the minds of men, like puppets on a string to do his will. Ignorantly, multitudes have been taken captive to do his will- 2 Timothy 2:26. In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 the devil is referred to as, “The secret power of lawlessness is already at work…” He uses the Media, Hollywood, Political, Religious, Education and anything else he can get his hands on to push his rebellious agenda against God. His appeal is to the physical and mental realms- lust of the flesh, eyes and the pride of life.
1 John 2:15-17 NKJV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
2 Corinthians 4:4-5 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
The Scriptures are very clear about not subscribing to the world system because it is under Satan’s control. We must avoid being unequally associated with unbelievers as our close friends- 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Romans 12:1-2. God does not want his children contaminated, corrupted and perverted by the world. His will is that we keep ourselves pure and not share in the sins of others, to avoid the very appearance of evil- 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 2:22. The world system under Satan’s control has one primary agenda, to keep us from God, particularly Jesus. So, to overcome the world is to believe on Jesus Christ and stand on His Word in our lives!
1 John 5:3-5 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
D. Tactics, Devices and Operations
Trials, Tests and Temptations come from the enemy in an attempt to derail our faith in God. In other words, to make life so difficult through persecutions and attacks that we would abandon our faith and turn our backs on God. Only through acting on God’s Word, the ministry of the Spirit and the fellowship with other believers will we overcome and develop godly perseverance. Chapters 2 & 3 of the Book of Revelations, reveals the trials of the early church and the rewards for not quitting or giving up- also read Hebrews 10:32-39; James 1:2-18; 1 Peter 4:1-5, 12-19.
2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Foundations for Christian Living - 231 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 232 - Concerning this very thing, in the case of Paul, a demonic spirit was assigned to him as a thorn in his flesh to stir up persecution for him everywhere he went- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. However, through God’s grace (God’s power at work in those who believe), what the devil meant for evil, God turned around for good- Romans 8:28.
God does not want us to get into fear concerning the devil, who is powerful and clever, but is also a defeated foe thanks to Jesus. It is a fact according to the Scriptures that demon possession and oppression is very real and can be reversed through the Name of Jesus. Only unbelievers, Non- Christians can be totally possessed, spirit, soul and body- Mark 5:1-17; Acts 16:16-18; 19:13-20.
However, demonic possession does not happen without the individual opening the door through some means that allows open access. For instance, those who play with Ouija boards, tarot cards, take hallucinate drugs, even unforgiveness, opens the door wide open for demonic activity in one’s life. The spirit realm is more real than the natural realm we can experience with our five senses. Sin in general provides a portal of the enemy to operate in the affairs of men, some sins lead to greater tragedy.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
Christians can be oppressed in their bodies or minds by the demonic if they allow them to. So let’s look at a few ways that the enemy gets into folks lives so we can be sure to keep those doors shut.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Sin Opens Doors: As it pertains to Christians, demonic spirits find open doors in our lives when we yield to the sinful nature (Galatians 5:19-21) in our bodies. If we persist in sin without repenting (1 John 1:9), Satan has a legal right to attack our lives. The enemy will seek to energize the sinful passions in our bodies (James 1:13-15) to entice us to sin, for the purpose of opening doors.
Ephesians 4:26-27 AMP- When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].
Ignorance Opens Doors: 2 Corinthians 2:11 states very clearly that ignorance of Satan’s schemes will inadvertently provide an avenue for the enemy to take advantage of us. The ‘Truth” of God’s Word is what makes us free and exposes the lies of the devil- Please Read Hosea 4:6.
Fear, Doubt and Unbelief Opens Doors: Giving into these temptations, can empower the enemy over our lives. Satan will produce lying symptoms in our bodies and deceptive circumstances in an attempt to lure us into believing in the lie over the truth of God’s Word. Remember, it’s not a sin to be tempted, just to give into it- Mark 8:26; James 1:6-8; Hebrews 3:16-19. Circumstances in life are real, God’s Word has the final say, a greater reality that trumps the lies of the enemy.
Foundations for Christian Living - 233 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 234 -
Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Concerning the role of God’s elect angels during this age of mankind on the earth, according to Scripture their primary function is ministering to us. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation has recorded frequent occurrences of angels operating in the earth, carrying out God’s will. Like us, they live to serve God’s purpose. According to Job 38:4-7, the angels were present when God created the earth, they are created beings like us- Psalms 148:2,5; Colossians 1:16.
In the Old Testament, the reference, “The Angel of the Lord” refers to Jesus in His pre-incarnate state- Genesis 16:7-14; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:2-5. The Word ‘Angel’ in the Greek means messenger. Even though God has given His angels charge over us (Psalms 91:11) to protect and serve, they listen for God’s Word to be spoken out of our mouths before they act. You can be sure that giving into doubt, sin and fear will hinder them in their service.
Psalms 103:20 NASB Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!
Classifications: Arch Angel- Michael warring angel- Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Revelation 12:7 Arch Angel- Gabriel chief messenger- Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19; 1:26 Cherubim- Worship of God and Holiness- Genesis 3:24; Exodus 37:6-9; Ezekiel 10; Revelation 4:6-9 Seraphim- Mentioned in Isaiah 6:1-7, they surround God’s throne Guardian Angels- Protecting the saints and doing God’s Business- Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14
Function: Protection- They act as bodyguards for believers- Psalm 91:11; Acts 5:19; 12:7 Judgment- Instruments of God’s wrath on evil- Genesis 19:12 – 24; Matthew 13:41; Acts 12:23 Messengers- Carriers of God’s will on the earth- Matthew 2:13; Luke 2:10; Acts 27:23; Revelation 1:1 Strengthening- Used oftentimes by God to provide strength- 1 Kings 19:5; Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43 Warfare- Often engaged in spiritual warfare on our behalf- 2 Kings 6:17; 2 Chronicles 20:22; Daniel 10
Miscellaneous: The worship of angels is forbidden in Scripture- Colossians 2:18; Revelation 22:8-9 Angels are spirit beings, but they can take on human form- Hebrews 13:2; Genesis 19:1 There are a countless number of elect angels in existence- Revelations 5:11; Matthew 26:53 They dwell in heaven and operate in the earth- Genesis 28:12; Luke 2:13-15; John 1:51 Angels are highly intelligent, rational beings with a will and emotions- 1 Peter 1:12; Lk. 15:10; 2 Pe. 2:4 Obviously God’s angels are very powerful; good to have them on our side- 2 Peter 2:11; 2 Th. 1:7
There are too many references to cover in the scope of this lesson, but it would be advantageous for us as believers to know their purpose and release their power in our lives through faith in God’s Word. Their ministry is up close and personal among us, working behind the scenes 24/7 to aid us and serve God’s will on our behalf. Remember we do not worship, pray or talk to them, that honor is left for God alone. We will ever be grateful to our loving heavenly Father for giving His angels charge over us! Foundations for Christian Living - 235 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 236 -
1 John 3:8 AMP The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].
A. Jesus is Victorious
As we mentioned before, Satan usurped Adam’s authority, became the new god of this world and brought death into the world through sin and mankind has been experiencing the knowledge of evil ever since. However, God made a promise that one born of woman would come and crush Satan’s dominion and reclaim that lost authority back for mankind.
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
In Ephesians 1:15-23, the Apostle Paul prayed for the saints at Ephesus that their spiritual eyes would be opened to the truth concerning the triumphant Christ over Satan, Sin and Death. This Biblical truth and present reality is absolutely essential for us to grasp and appropriate in our lives! Ignorance of these truths will result in a whole lot of unnecessary grief and tragedy.
Satan tried to make Jesus sin, having tempted him on one occasion in Luke 4:1-13, he failed. As a matter of fact, Hebrews 4:15 states that Jesus was tempted in all ways as we are but never once sinned. As a result, Satan had no basis of an accusation or authority over Jesus- John 14:30. Jesus was innocent, without sin, and died and rose again as our sin substitute, paying the penalty of death for us. So now, Satan has no right or authority to oppress us, who are blood bought and blood washed- Revelation 12:11. By Jesus removing our sin, He cancelled Satan’s power over our lives that he once had through our sin- we have been ransomed, bought with a price Matthew 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23. In John 5:24 we have passed from death to life, from the dominion of darkness to the dominion of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:9-14). SATAN IS A DEFEATED FOE!!!
Colossians 2:15 AMP [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].
Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Revelation 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings, Philippians 2:5-11, states that He has a Name above every name- completely superseding, all-powerful and majestic Name. At the Name of Jesus every knee must bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Through Jesus Christ Adam’s lost dominion is restored and we can now reign in this life as children of God, seated together with Jesus in heavenly places- Romans 5:17; Ephesians 2:6 Foundations for Christian Living - 237 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 238 - B. What is Authority? Now with all that being said, let’s see how this applies to us. We know Jesus is the Lord and that He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. But what about us on earth, did Jesus leave us powerless to fend for ourselves, to live in some kind of survival mode until we die or He returns, whichever comes first. Not at all, He did not leave us as orphans, John 14:15-18 states that we have the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead sent to live inside of us!
1 John 4:4-5 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
So what is authority you may ask; simply put, it is delegated power! We receive this authority when we are born again, we inherit the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can use it in the prayer of authority against the enemy. Through the power of attorney, the Name of Jesus has been delegated to us for use on His behalf. This truth could not be made more plain than when we look at the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-20, some of the last words given to us before Jesus ascended back to heaven. Jesus, by right of conquest over the enemy, gave us His authority to exercise over the power of darkness in His place through His Name. The power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is released when we speak the Name of Jesus in faith from our hearts!
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
There is a difference between ‘Power’ and ‘Authority.’ I don’t have the power by myself to stop Satan, but there is a greater power in me 1 John 4:4, that rises up out of my spirit through the Name of Jesus and puts the devil and all his works under my feet! Authority is delegated power.
For instance, policemen who direct traffic during the rush hour just raise their hands and the cars stop. These men don’t have the power to stop the vehicles if the drivers choose not to stop. But they don’t use their own strength to stop traffic; they are strong in the authority that is invested in them by the government they serve. People recognize that authority and stop their cars. We are ambassadors of Christ, citizens of heaven, sealed with the Holy Spirit as our badge of authority - 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 5:20; Philippians 3:20. When we raise our hands to the devil, commanding him to stop, he has to obey because all of heaven backs us up! The value of our authority rests on the power behind our authority! The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority- stop them in their tracks!
Luke 10:18-20- He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
In John 14:12-14, through faith in Jesus we will do the works Jesus did as His Body on the earth today- even more works because of our numbers. Jesus also stated that having authority through His Name to destroy the works of Satan (sickness, oppression etc), when we demand of the devil to cease and desist in his maneuvers and operations to kill, steal and destroy, Jesus will back us up!
Foundations for Christian Living - 239 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 240 - C. The Name of Jesus Even though Satan is a defeated foe, for the Christian the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:6-7) has had his teeth removed, so the only weapon he has over the Christian is deception- Hosea 4:6, destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Resist the devil with the Word of God and the Name of Jesus- especially during an emergency, speak Jesus’ Name. Walking in revelation truth is our best defense and offense that we have against the enemy. If Satan can pull us into the flesh and reasoning realms, he will defeat us, but if we pull him into the arena of faith in God’s Word we will defeat him every time- Hebrews 4:12. The ‘Name of Jesus’ is a powerful weapon, it releases the power of heaven on our behalf. In this day and age, we are called by God to carry on the works of Jesus and enforce Satan’s defeat wherever we go- Acts 10:38.
For Salvation: There is no other name by which mankind can be saved Acts 4:12- Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
For Healing: All the power we need to administer healing is in the Name of Jesus Acts 3:16- By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
For Deliverance: Walking on top of the enemy is accomplished only through the Name of Jesus Acts 16:18- Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
Everything we do: Our entire Christian life revolves around speaking and releasing faith through the Name Colossians 3:17- And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
When the Bible talks about keys, it refers to authority or access to unlock and release something. Well, Jesus has given us the keys to His kingdom on this earth. At this moment, the Lord’s Kingdom is a spiritual one, locked up inside our spirits, we are carriers of God’s kingdom wherever we go- Luke 17:20-21. The Lord’s Prayer, among other things, speaks of releasing God’s will on earth- Matthew 6:10. Someday, this Kingdom within us will become a physical kingdom when Jesus rules on this earth physically for 1,000 years- 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Revelation 20:1-10. In the meantime, we are commissioned to bring heaven down, God’s will on earth according to the Word of God- binding and loosing through the Name of Jesus Matthew 16:19; 18:18. We have authority to bind those things on earth that are not permitted in heaven- the curses and works of Satan. We have authority to loose on the earth those things that are permitted in heaven- the things of God.
So what should our response be to such an indescribable gift as the ‘Name of Jesus’ given to us, paid for in His blood- ‘Freely you have received, freely give!’
Matthew 10:8-9 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Foundations for Christian Living - 241 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 242 - Lesson 6 Review:
So what contributed to the fall of Lucifer, can we learn from his mistakes?
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From a big picture standpoint, what is Satan’s overall agenda on earth?
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What benefit do we gain from the Bible as we learn about Satan’s nature and hierarchy?
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What roles do angels play in this world today?
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Explain the significance of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection as it pertains to Satan’s defeat?
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What is authority and what does the “Name of Jesus” mean for the believer?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 243 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 244 - Bonus Material: Questions Concerning Demons
Note: Most of this bonus material on demons was taken primarily from Kenneth E. Hagin’s “Bible Answers to Man’s Questions on Demons”
Question: Can a Christian have a demon? Answer: There is no such thing as a Christian being demon possessed. To be demon possessed means to be completely taken over – spirit, soul, and body – by the devil. This was the case with the madman at Gadara in Mark chapter 5.
A Christian, on the other hand, can be oppressed. Demon activity concerning Christians will either be in the body or the mind. The Holy Spirit is in our spirit- a demon can’t be there
1 Corinthians 6:18-20, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
Question: Does the presence of sickness and disease always indicate demonic activity? Answer: The devil is behind all sickness and disease. But that doesn’t mean there is the literal presence of an evil spirit in a person. The Bible teaches that all sickness is oppression of the enemy- either directly or indirectly. Sometimes there is the literal presence of a spirit there. In some cases a demon that brought a certain sickness may remain in the body and enforce sickness, so that demon has to be dealt with. Only by the Holy Spirit can we know if it is direct or indirect oppression from the enemy.
Luke 13:11-13, 16-17 NKJV “And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, ‘Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.’ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound — think of it — for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
Acts 10:38 AMP How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him.
Termites in the house analogy! You can have termites in your house (Physical body) but not in you personally (spirit man).
A Christian walking with God can’t be taken over by the devil. In fact, the devil can’t do anything in him without his/her permission. Ephesians 4:27 AMP- Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].
Foundations for Christian Living - 245 - Remember sickness and disease is always satanic oppression either directly or indirectly because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.
Luke 4:38-39 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
Notice that healing and dealing with evil spirits are often mentioned together!
Matthew 10:1, “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”
Mark 3:10-12 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.
Luke 6:18-19 People had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Luke 7:21, “At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits.”
Luke 8:2 Also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out
Acts 5:16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
Acts 8:7-8 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.
Acts 19:11-12 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
Question: Should you talk to demons when calling them out? Answer: Did you ever notice that Jesus would tell them to be quiet? There’s no Scripture in the New Testament where He ever held a lengthy conversation with demons; they’re liars what’s the point?
Mark 1:23-26 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
Foundations for Christian Living - 246 - Behind every vice known to man there are demonic spirits to encourage and energize the flesh to commit those acts. If a person yields to it long enough a demonic stronghold in their life will develop.
Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
There are many kinds of spirits. There are deceiving spirits, lying spirits, religious spirits, homosexual and lesbian spirits, deaf and dumb spirits, and many more- Mark 9:25.
Ephesians 6:12-13 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Question: Can a person be possessed by more than one demon? Answer: No, only one evil spirit does the possessing, but it can invite many others to join it. Notice also from Mark 5:8-13, demons first choice is to possess a person, but their second choice would be an animal. Demons are disembodied spirits, so they need a physical body in order to find expression, just as we need our physical body to express ourselves in this world. Notice also that they did not want to be cast out of the area; demons are very territorial, wanting to operate in specific geographical areas. Hence the character of a city or region will take on the personality of the demonic spirits that operate there. The Holy Spirit will give us insight into this at the time.
Mark 5:8-13 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
Question: When dealing with demons in a person’s life, what is the next step once the person has been delivered? Answer: When a person is delivered from sin, from sickness, from the devil, or from anything, he/she immediately needs to be pushed into the discipline of confession of God’s Word, testimony of his/her deliverance to others and service in the kingdom of God- Mark 5:19.
Question: Will the devil try to return after he has been cast out? Answer: The devil always will endeavor to go right back to the place he has left. That is a spiritual principle explained for us in:
Foundations for Christian Living - 247 - Luke 11:24-26 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”
When we get saved, the devil will try to get back into our lives; he’ll try to get us to do wrong. If we were delivered of sickness, he’ll try to put the same thing back on us. In dealing with demons in the lives of Christians, we must be careful to get the Word into people. Otherwise we’ll do them an injustice, because they may wind up seven times worse than what they were.
Question: How much authority do we have to keep devils off our property? Answer: The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has more authority than we have realized. The ‘rock’ Jesus was referred to in Matthew 16:18 was the revelation that, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:16-20 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
When we speak God’s Word concerning the redemptive realities that we were bought by the blood of Jesus and declare that over our property, our children and our lives- Satan can’t trespass.
Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
1 John 5:18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
Question: Do we have authority over others’ wills? Answer: Often we try to take the authority we have in our own lives, and exercise it in somebody else’s life. But we don’t have it. You see, you can run the devil off from your own life, but you can’t always run the devil off from somebody else’s. I can handle my own finances, but I can’t always handle your finances unless you turn them over to me. So a person has to want to be delivered and give you permission to take authority over the enemy in their life.
We cannot intrude into other people’s lives without their consent. As long as a person’s own mentality and will is at work and he can control himself. He has a lot to do with his deliverance. You must teach people their responsibility to agree with you. The greatest form of deliverance is when the believer stands up and speaks the Name of Jesus, putting the devil on the run in their own life!
James 4:7- Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Foundations for Christian Living - 248 - Question: How much authority over the devil do we have when we are in his territory? Answer: The devil has no right to trespass on God’s property. But if we trespass on the devil’s property, he’s got a right to attack us. God can’t keep him from it, and we can’t keep him from it, because we’re on his property.
It’s like this: I don’t have authority in your house or apartment. I can’t go there and say, “We’re going to move everything out of this room and sell all of it.” In the house of God, if the devil comes around, we’ve got authority. But if we go to the devil’s house and try to exercise authority, he may throw us out. For instance if you go to a strip club and congregate there, you are on the devil’s turf, other folks want to be there and their free-will is involved. Can we pray against that place and do spiritual warfare through intercession in a prayer meeting, absolutely- there is no distance in the spirit.
Literally speaking, if we go to places controlled by Satan, we can get attacked. Spiritually speaking, if we get into disobedience, we get spiritually over into the devil’s territory. We can claim protection, however, and go wherever we have to go; especially when we go in the Name of Jesus as an ambassador of Christ as God leads us to witness and pray in dark places- be led by the Spirit.
Question: What are the most important qualifications for success in dealing with devils? Answer: If we know God has planned to use us in a certain way, we can prepare ourselves so we’ll be more efficient in that area. We prepare ourselves by fasting and praying, by waiting on God. By meditating in the Word, and by living right. There are two things that are important if we’re going to deal with devils: (l) We’ve got to live right. If we don’t live right, we won’t have any confidence and the devil will laugh at us. (2) We have to have boldness, and we can’t be bold unless we know our rights and privileges in Christ Jesus.
Question: How do we stop demonic activity that is causing believers to hinder the work of the church? Answer: If anyone is harassing, intimidating, embarrassing, or deterring the ministry of the church, we know that’s the devil. We don’t have to have discerning of spirits. We don’t have to see the devil. We don’t have to know it supernaturally. That’s just the devil. Any Christian can put a stop to that kind of activity in the privacy of his/her own home. We don’t have to go out and broadcast it. We don’t have to deal with the person. Just say something like this, “You foul spirit that’s operating through so-and-so (and call the person’s name), embarrassing, intimidating, harassing, or deterring the ministry of the church, I command you to stop in Jesus’ Name!”
Believers can unconsciously yield to the devil and be used of the devil. But that doesn’t mean they’re unsaved or demon possessed. It takes time and experience to learn not to yield to the devil. This can apply not just to the church but folks who are causing grief in our own lives.
Mark 8:33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
2 Timothy 2:25-26 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will .
Foundations for Christian Living - 249 - Question: Can demons manifest themselves in the physical realm? Answer: Yes, and we have the authority to stop those supernatural manifestations. When Dr. Lester Sumrall was building a church in the Philippines in the 1950s, he heard on the radio about a girl who would fight with something nobody could see, though people could see tooth marks and saliva on her. She had to be confined in a jail cell.
Doctors and psychiatrists examining her asked her what had been biting her. She said, “There are two hairy looking monsters. One is big and the other is small, and they attack me.” They were demons manifesting themselves in the physical realm. Of course, she was not a Christian.
Dr. Sumrall got permission to see her. When he first entered the jail cell, the devil supernaturally spoke through her in English, “I don’t like you.” The devil cursed him, cursed God, cursed Jesus, and cursed the blood. After Dr. Sumrall got the girl delivered, she couldn’t speak a word of English. He had to communicate with her through an interpreter.
The devil had spoken out of her mouth supernaturally. Those tooth marks were real. That wasn’t the girl talking in English, saying, “I don’t like you.” It was the devil. So the devil can do some supernatural things, but thank God, we do have authority over him in the Name of Jesus!
Acts 19:13-16 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [One day] the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Question: Is alcoholism a demon? Answer: There’s no doubt in my mind that alcoholism is a demon. I’ve had any number of people tell me, “Brother Hagin. When you laid hands on me, an anointing came into me and I was delivered from alcoholism.”
Question: How do you help someone receive deliverance from smoking? Answer: A man came to me in tears after a night service. He said, “Brother Hagin, you haven’t condemned me, but my own heart condemns me. I’m 63 years old. I’ve smoked cigarettes since I was 12. I want to be free. Can you help me?”
I said, “I certainly can. All you have to do is give me permission to do it.” He said, “I give you permission. I want to be helped.” I laid my hand on his shoulder and said, “In the Name of Jesus, I break the power of nicotine over your life. And I am going to say this by faith: The next cigarette you smoke will make you sick.” Praise God that is just what had happened!
Question: How can you help a person who is being hindered by the devil from speaking in tongues? Answer: Demons attempt to hinder people in every aspect of spiritual life. They try to keep people from all the blessings of God. Christians who have felt too timid to testify or to pray in public have had their tongues loosed instantly in the Name of Jesus. We always must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when dealing with people. In praying for Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit, for instance. Sometimes it is the devil who’s holding them back. It isn’t always the case, but I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit when I pray with people, and I know when it is.
Foundations for Christian Living - 250 - I knew that it was this way with one woman when she told me how many years she had been seeking. I laid my hand on her shoulder and said, “I rebuke you, foul spirit of doubt in the Name of Jesus, leave this woman!” Instantly, she started talking in tongues. This has happened time and time again. I just lay my hands on the person’s shoulder, and very calmly, very quietly, sometimes under my breath, I say, “I rebuke every devil that is holding this person.” Instantly they lift both hands and start talking in tongues.
Question: Is it necessary to look a demon possessed person in the eye to get him delivered? Answer: You have to make contact with a person’s eyes sometimes before you can get the devil out of him. Sometimes a person’s spirit is trying to hide. But you can get hold of his spirit with your spirit and instantly he’ll receive deliverance.
Question: Does God tell us to pray that He’ll do something about the devil? Answer: No. The Scriptures say for you to resist the devil and he’ll flee from you (James 4:7). You is the understood subject of the sentence. Peter says, “Your adversary” (1 Peter 5:8). (Adversary means .. enemy, opponent, or one arrayed against you.”) Yes, we’ve got an enemy, an opponent, one who is arrayed against us. Satan is the god of this world, seeking whom he may devour.
Peter’s writings were addressed to Christians. The adversary is not walking about seeking how many sinners he may devour; it’s the saints he’s after. What are you going to do about it? Stick your head in the sand like an ostrich and pray that he’ll go away? Roll over and play dead like a possum? Remember Paul said, “Neither give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27). That means, “Don’t you give the devil place in you.” It means he can’t take any place unless you give it to him, doesn’t it? How are you going to keep him from it? You resist him with the Word and he will flee from you!
Luke 10:17-20 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Question: Is it harmful to talk about the devil’s power? Answer: We can give place to the devil by giving him more credit than God. In church, some people give more praise to the devil than to God. Born-again, Spirit-filled people praise the devil more than they do God. Some people say “I’ll tell you, the devil is here.” At a place where I preached one time, the pastor got up and said, “The devil is here. He’s got us all bound up. I don’t know how in the world Brother Hagin is going to preach in this kind of atmosphere. We’re going to hurry up here – and turn him loose.”
When I got up I said, “No, you’re not going to turn me loose. I haven’t been bound to begin with. I’m already loose! Now it’s been said, ‘The devil’s here.’” (You see, the more they talked about the devil, the more frightened they got. They had been saying. “The devil’s here, the devil’s taken over, the devil’s got it.” The devil, the devil, the devil – that’s all they talked about.)
I said, “The devil will come to church more regularly than most faithful saints. But what of it? Jesus is here, God is here, the Holy Spirit is here. Greater is He that’s in me than he that’s in the world!” The people started straightening up in their chairs when I started talking about God. I said, “I don’t know if Jesus came with you, but He came with me. Even if you didn’t bring Him, I did, He’s here. What do we care about the devil?”
Foundations for Christian Living - 251 - Many people talk about what the devil is doing and how he’s keeping them sick and unsuccessful. They give the devil dominion over them. But if we’ll talk about what God’s Word says, the devil will run from us in terror. We have authority because of the Name of Jesus!
Hebrews 13:5-6 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Matthew 28:20- And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 18:18-20 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Question: Have you ever cast out demons that were manifesting in someone’s home? Answer: Yes, I was holding a meeting for a pastor and his wife almost 20 years ago, and they invited me to their home. Both of them were ministers of the Gospel. As we were sitting there talking, the wife said, “Brother Hagin, I don’t know how to say this to you, but this house we’re living in has manifestations of evil spirits.”
I don’t know why she didn’t do something about it. She had the authority, she just didn’t know it. The pastor (he was one of the top men in his Full Gospel denomination) would hear the evil spirits go through the house and knock things over. His wife said. “I’ve actually spoken to one and it spoke back to me. I’ve told it to go and it didn’t.”
I said, “I’ll take care of that for you.” “Will you?” they asked. “We’ve thought about moving.” “No,” I said. “I’ll take care of it. You won’t ever see or hear these manifestations again in the Name of Jesus.” Just sitting there at the table, speaking in an ordinary conversational tone, I said, “In the Name of Jesus I command every evil spirit to leave, and all demonic activity in this home to cease.” I told the couple, “Now it’s gone; you’ll never hear or see those demons again.”
They told me last year – 19 years later – there was never another manifestation of that power. The pastor told me he almost had been embarrassed when his wife had brought the subject up. But I’m not embarrassed to know the devil and demons are real, are you? They were real in Bible times, and they’re just as real now as then. I’m not afraid of them, and you ought not to be – not if you’re a Christian that is.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Question: Once you’ve been delivered, how can you make sure you keep that deliverance? Answer: After a person gets delivered, he needs to change his ways – his lifestyle – his thinking. Even Christians need to change a lot of times. If you keep on thinking like you were thinking, the devil will come right back. This may sound strange to you, but it’s absolutely the truth. Sometimes after people are healed or delivered. I know they will wind up worse than they were to begin with.
Foundations for Christian Living - 252 - How do I know? They are still speaking negatively or thinking wrongly. They will wind up in the same mess they were to begin with, or worse. It is a fact that the devil will try to come back. He’s here, that’s his job. I wish we could get Christians to be as faithful on their jobs as the devil is on his.
To stay delivered. People need to read the Bible. They need to depart from evil and do good. They need to walk in close fellowship with God through the Word and through daily prayer.
Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
The Nephilim Giants in the Bible
A. Noah and the Flood Noah was only nine generations removed from Adam; and his father, Lamech, was 56 years old at the time of Adam’s death.
1 Chronicles 1:1-3 Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah.
Noah was 500 years old when he had three sons.
Genesis 5:32- After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
When Noah was around 600 years old, the flood waters came- it took him at the most 100 years to build the ark.
Genesis 7:6-7- Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
The World before the Flood So what was life like on the earth before Noah’s flood. What kind of people were they? Whatever the Bible has to say is the only facts we can go by, everything else would be speculation. When God had created Adam and Eve, he told them in Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.”
By the time Noah came on the scene the world was a very evil and wicked place. In the 1,656 years before the flood, there must have been from 5 to 10 billion people on the earth.
The depravity was widespread. And it was inward, continual, and habitual. Man was utterly corrupt, bad in heart and in conduct. There was no good in him. The whole bent of his thoughts and imaginations was completely out of line with the will of God. Flesh was on the throne. God was forgotten or openly defied according to the Scriptures.
Foundations for Christian Living - 253 - Genesis 6:5-8 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth- men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air- for I am grieved that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
It is generally believed that there were only two branches of the race of man. One, a godly line through Seth, and the other, an ungodly line through Cain. This perception is a result of Seth’s ancestral descendants being traced from Adam to Jesus in Luke 3:23-38. Certainly, Noah and his three sons were descendants of Seth, but what about all the other descendants of Seth, besides Noah, who were also alive at that time? They were destroyed by the flood along with all of Cain’s descendants. The reason I have pointed this out is because of how different folks interpret the following Scripture. Particularly who the “sons of God” are referring to:
Genesis 6:1-2 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
In some cases in Scripture “sons of God” may be identified with “angels” or “messengers.” Jesus is the Son of God in a unique sense. Believers are called “sons of God” because of their relationship to Him. In the Old Testament, however, “sons of God” are a special class of beings that make up the heavenly court- angels. In the Old Testament, the only two references to the “sons of God” in the NIV are made in the above Scripture reference. The sons of God mentioned in Job 38:7, are an order of angelic beings existing before the creation of man, and joining in the symphony of the universe, when the earth and all things were called into being. Then all were holy (before one-third followed Lucifer), for they were all called the sons of God. Therefore, “sons of God” is not referring to Seth’s descendants.
Job 38:7 While the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
Job 38:7 (KJV) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Remember, in Genesis 3:15, when God prophetically spoke of a redeemer that would come as a man, the “seed of the woman” who would crush the head of the serpent. Speaking of Jesus, defeating Satan and taking back what he stole from Adam. So, what is Satan to do about this promise that God had decreed. Do everything in his power to keep it from coming to pass, of course!
Job 1:6-7 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 254 - If Satan could pollute the race of mankind, deliver them all to absolute wickedness where no one served God, then he could prolong his kingdom indefinitely. So from Cain murdering Abel until the birth of Jesus, born of a virgin, human history was comprised of the pointless pursuit of Satan trying to nullify God’s Word by infecting and corrupting humanity with wickedness and somehow prevent the coming of the Messiah and Redeemer of mankind.
B. Giants in the Land
Nephilim (Hebrew)- A bully, tyrant, or giant.
“Mighty Men” OT:1368 gibbowr (ghib-bore’); or (shortened) gibbor (ghib-bore’); intensive from the same as OT:1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant: “The name is from a root, ‘to fall,’ i.e., on other people”
KJV - champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.
Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days- and also afterward- when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
Genesis 6:4 (AMP) Concerning the “Nephilim” existed “in those days” before the flood and “also afterward” after the flood.
There were giants on the earth before the flood, and also afterward, when the sons of God cohabitated with the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. In other words, fallen angels cohabitated with human women- produced a race of giants.
What is also interesting, is that the Bible teaches that there were giants after the flood- like the kingdom of Og, the king of Bashan and Goliath and his brothers. How could the theory of the “sons of God” supposedly being Seth’s line, be able to marry the “daughters of men,” Cain’s line to produce giants, when all of Cain’s descendents were killed during the flood.
These ancient heroes or giants became the gods of the heathen neighbors of Israel and Greek mythology. The fact that giants were partly of supernatural origin made it easy for men to regard them as demigods.
Josephus, an ancient Jewish Historian around the time of Jesus said, “Many angels of God accompanied with women, and begat sons that proved unjust, and despisers of all that was good, on account of their own strength… these men did what resembled the acts of those whom the Grecians called giants.” Again he says, “There was till then left the race of giants, who had bodies so large, and countenances so entirely different from other men, that they were surprising to the sight, and terrible to the hearing. The bones of these men are still shown to this very day.”
What we have here is a race of giants, the offspring of fallen angels cohabitating with human women to produce a perverted freak of nature. These guys were twisted, wicked evil tyrants who were huge in stature. God’s law of reproduction from the beginning has been everything after its own kind. It is not possible then, that giants could be produced by men and women of ordinary size. It took the supernatural element, the purpose and power of Satan and his angels to make offspring of such extra size within the human species. They then produced others of like size instead of ordinary sized people.
Foundations for Christian Living - 255 - The Nephilim are considered by many to be giant demigods, the unnatural offspring of the “daughters of men” (mortal women) in cohabitation with the “sons of God” (angel- Genesis 6:1-4). This utterly unnatural union, violating God’s created order of being, was such a shocking abnormality as to necessitate the worldwide judgment of the Flood.
God’s elect angels have been forbidden by God to procreate themselves- God created them as a set or fixed number, never to increase.
Matthew 22:30-31 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
Remember the one-third of the fallen angels who had rebelled with Lucifer and the Pre-Adamite creation. It was some of these fallen angels who crossed the line and took on human form in order to produce this race of Nephilim giants in an attempt to pollute the pure human stock descended from Adam and created by God. However, God swiftly judged those angels who committed this grievous sin.
Jude 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
2 Peter 2:4-5 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others…
The world had been corrupted and contaminated, Satan had introduced a race of half-human, half-fallen angel offspring. Genesis 6:11- The world had corrupted (2Peter 1:4) their ways and was full of violence.
ANGELS CAN STILL HAVE AND APPEAR IN HUMAN FORM ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE.
Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
The angels that went to Sodom and Gomorrah looked like regular men.
Genesis 19:1-2 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.”
C. The Profile of a Giant
So what were these giants like? Interestingly enough, the same tactic by Satan to contaminate the purity of the human race was again repeated after the flood. It is from these post-flood references that we can build a profile of these half-angel and half-human Nephilim giants.
Foundations for Christian Living - 256 - God made a covenant with Abraham in order to establish a nation through which the promised Seed of the woman would be made manifest in order to undo Satan’s treachery in the Garden of Eden. There was a race of people called the Amorites. The Amorites were one of the major tribes, or national groups, living in Canaan. The Old Testament frequently uses “Amorites” as a synonym for Canaanites in general. The Book of Genesis cites Canaan as the ancestor of the Amorites (Genesis 10:16). The sin of the Amorites reached full measure when the Nephilim giants were introduced into their race.
Genesis 15:12-16 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
Genesis 15:17-21 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
AMORITES A tribe descended from Canaan (Genesis 10:16) and one of the seven whose lands were given to Israel (Deuteronomy 7:1; Genesis 15:16). “The Amorite” means literally “the Westerner,” hence the name Amorites is generally supposed to mean “western highlanders” (Numbers 13:29; Deuteronomy 1:7-20; Joshua 10:6), or “tall ones” (Amos 2:9; Numbers 13:33; Deuteronomy 2:10).
The Israelites found east of the Jordan two Amorite kingdoms: that of Sihon, which lay along the Jordan from the Arnon (Wadi Mojib) to the Jabbok (Wadi Zerka), and from the Jordan to the desert (Judges 11:21-22); and that of Og, king of Bashan, from the valley of Arnon to Mt. Hermon (Jebel esh Sheik) (Deuteronomy 3:4,8-9). As Sihon and Og attempted to act on the offensive, Israel immediately possessed their territories (Deuteronomy 3:8-10).
God had made it very clear to the children of Israel that these giant infested nations had to be purged.
Deuteronomy 20:17-18 Completely destroy them- the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites- as the LORD your God has commanded you. Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.
Numbers 32:33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan- the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.
Foundations for Christian Living - 257 - The Giant named “OG” Og, King of Bashan was an Amorite chieftain
Deuteronomy 3:11 Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
An Amorite king of Bashan, ruling 60 cities, including Ashteroth Karnaim and Edrei (Joshua 13:12; 12:4; Genesis 14:5). After conquering Sihon’s land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, Israel marched by way of BASHAN which is north of the Jabbok. Og met them and perished with all his people at Edrei, and Israel took his land (Numbers 21:33-35). Og was of a different race, namely, “of the remnant of the giants,” the Rephaim before the Amorites came (Deuteronomy 3:13). The Amorites by intermarriage with the Rephaim were in “height like that of the cedars and strong as the oaks” (Amos 2:9).
Amos 2:9 “I destroyed the Amorite before them, though he was tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks. I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.”
He was defeated by the Israelites at Edrei, along with his children and his people- all exterminated (Numbers 21:33-35).
As we have been saying, the fact that giants or beings of abnormal size in body, have lived on earth is one of the most clearly stated truths in Scripture.
Rapha, was the name of a giant, the father of all the giants mentioned in these passages. From the original Rapha descended the Rephaims. Thus ended the mighty races of giants that were born of a union of the daughters of men and fallen angels after the flood of Noah.
REPHAIM ref’-a-im), (re-fa’-im) (repha’-im, from rapha’, “a terrible one ‘hence’ giant,” in 1 Chronicles 20:4, “sons of the giant”; the King James Version, Rephaims: A race of aboriginal or early inhabitants East of the Jordan in Ashterothkarnaim (Genesis 14:5) and in the valley of Rephaim Southwest of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8). They associated with other giant races, as the Emim and Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:10-11) and the Zamzummim (verse 20). It is probable that they were all of the same stock, being given different names by the different tribes who came in contact with them.
ANAK A’NAK (a’nak; “long-necked,” i.e., “a giant”). Pronounced [A knack] (giant). The son of Arba, the founder of Kiriath-arba. He was the progenitor of a race of giants called Anakim. These Anakim were a terror to the children of Israel (Numbers 13:22,28) but were driven out by Caleb, who came into possession of Hebron (Joshua 15:13-14). Anak had three sons, whose descendants were giants, the ANAKIM.
ANAKIM [AN uh kim] (giants)-a race of fierce giants (Deuteronomy 1:28; 2:10-11; Joshua 14:12,15) descended from ANAK. Descended from Arba (Joshua 15:13; 21:11), dwelling in the South of Canaan. Hebron was called from him Kirjath Arba, i.e. city of Arba. Anak is the name of the race rather than an individual (Joshua 14:15). The three tribes bore the names of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
Foundations for Christian Living - 258 - In Numbers 13 we have an account of the children of Israel spying out the Promise Land that God had given them as their inheritance. However, there were occupants of that land, and not just any group of ordinary people.
Numbers 13:31-33 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
Notice the statement, “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” An ordinary sized man of 5 foot 8 inches next to a giant of over 10 feet tall and at least 5 feet wide looks kind of small in comparison.
So gigantic were they that the spies sent out by Moses considered themselves as mere grasshoppers compared to the Anakim (Numbers 13:28 ,33). Under Joshua, however, the Israelites destroyed many of the Anakim. A remnant of these giants took refuge among the Philistines in the cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod (Joshua 11:21-22). Caleb, who brought news as a spy concerning them, was eventually their destroyer (Joshua 15:14).
However, notice the response of the other spies, fear and doubt dominated them and what was in their hearts came out of their mouths as well. They spread a bad or evil report of doubt, unbelief and fear.
Deuteronomy 3:11 Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.
So when the spies said they looked like grasshoppers, now you know why. So the people were left with a choice. On the one side they had God’s Word, a sworn oath that He would fight for them and send His angel ahead of them to drive the Canaanites out before them. Now there are many more references to this truth, but these listed below will make our point.
It was necessary for this race of giants to be completely destroyed in order to remove Satan’s corrupt race of giants that stood in the way of God’s people and their Promise Land. This was necessary in order to establish the children of Israel in their land in preparation for the coming Messiah.
Joshua 10:40-42 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
Yet there were still some remaining giants that escaped and found refuge in the land of the Philistines. A few hundred years later David and his mighty men would once and for all do away with these giants.
Foundations for Christian Living - 259 - Hence, we find a giant race among the Philistines, and in Gath, in David’s days (1 Samuel 17; 2 Samuel 21:15-22); an undesigned coincidence between the independent histories Joshua and 1 and 2 Samuel, confirming the truth of both. Their chief city Hebron became Caleb’s possession for his faith, shown in having no fear of their giant stature since the Lord was on Israel’s side (Joshua 15:14; Judges 1:20; compare Numbers 13:22,28,30-33; 14:24). They are represented on Egyptian monuments as tall and fair. The hieroglyphic Tanmahu represents Talmai, and one of his tribe is depicted on the tomb of Oimenapthah I.
1 Samuel 17:4-7 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels (194 lbs); on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels (23 lbs). His shield bearer went ahead of him.
Goliath was 6 cubits and a span in height, which is around 9 feet and 9 inches tall- 18 inches in a cubit and 9 inches in a span).
2 Samuel 21:15-22 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels (11 lbs) and who was armed with a new [sword], said he would kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha. In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod. In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot-twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him. These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
1 Chronicles 20:4-8 In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated. In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod. In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot- twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
Foundations for Christian Living - 260 - D. A Probable Purpose of Satan Producing Giants
It was the purpose of Satan and his fallen angels to corrupt the human race and thereby do away with pure Adamite stock through whom the seed of the woman should come. This would avert their own doom and make it possible for Satan and his kingdom to keep control of the planet earth indefinitely. It was said to Adam and Eve that the seed of the woman should defeat Satan and restore man’s dominion (Genesis 3:15).
The only way then, for Satan to avoid the predicted defeat was to corrupt the pure Adamite line so that the coming of the seed of the woman into the world would be impossible. This, he tried to accomplish by sending some of his fallen angels to marry the daughters of men in (Genesis 6:1-4), and producing giant nations through them. There are two such eruptions of fallen angels taught in (Genesis 6:4): There were giants in the earth in those days before the flood; and also after the flood, when the sons of God (fallen angels) came unto the daughters of men (any daughters of men – Cain, Seth and others), and they bore children of a perverted lineage.
Satan almost succeeded in his plan during the first eruption, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Noah and his sons were the only godly, righteous men who sought after God and were of pure Adamite lineage to be preserved by the ark (Genesis 6:8-13). The main object of the flood was to do away with all this satanic corruption, destroy the giants and ungodly people, and preserve the pure Adamite stock so as to make good the guarantee of the coming of the Seed (Jesus) of the woman as set forth in the plan of God.
Being defeated before the flood did not stop Satan from making a further attempt to prevent the coming of the Redeemer who should be his final downfall. It was to his advantage that God had promised never to send another universal flood upon the earth. Satan therefore probably reasoned that he should make a second attempt to do away with Adamite stock. With the promise that God will never send another universal flood upon the earth. This is a probable explanation for the second group of fallen angels being sent to marry the daughters of men.
Once again, the unions produced giants called REPHAIM or NEPHILIM, and races of them occupied the land of promise, where the promised seed of the woman should be born- promised in advance to Abraham. If Satan could establish a stronghold of these perverted giants in the Promise Land, the hope was that God could not bring the seed of the woman through Abraham’s lineage in that region occupied by the Nephilim.
Limited by His promise of no flood, God was then faced with the task of eliminating the giant races another way. This explains why God had commanded Israel to kill them all, every last one of them, even to the last man, woman and child. Just as in the time of Noah, every man, woman and child with the exception of Noah and his family was destroyed by the flood. This ungodly corruption and contamination of sin had to be completely exterminated in order for God to fulfill His eternal plan and give the world its promised redeemer.
Now that the Redeemer has come, it appears that Satan is reserving his forces for a last stand at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:7-9). Remember, according to Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4-5, when fallen angels crossed the line to intermarry and produce these races of giants, they were judged by God and sent to the Abyss to await final judgment- no longer any use to Satan. Thus it was clear from Scripture that there were giants in the earth before and after the flood and that they came from an unholy union of fallen angels with the daughters of men.
Foundations for Christian Living - 261 - So why is it important to know all of this?
1. Satan adversely opposes the purpose of God and will do all he can to thwart it, to cause God’s Word to become null and void- which is an impossible task by the way!
2. One of the enemy’s chief tactics is to introduce ungodly influences as to contaminate, pollute, defile and corrupt people.
3. God will judge and amputate such leprous corruption in the human race in order to preserve godliness. The Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah and the Canaanite nations that Israel exterminated. It is really the mercy of God to judge and purge such reprobate and irrevocably evil from the earth, in order to preserve future generations from being born in such lands, to be made subject to such evil that basically dooms their existence to wickedness. Though God gave them all an opportunity to repent, they choose not to, unlike Nineveh when Jonah preached a message of repentance to them, they repented, and avoided God’s judgment. That was how God dealt with the nations of the Old Testament. Now that we live in a dispensation of Grace, God deals with people and nations in quite a different manner.
E. Back to Noah
Getting back to Noah, we see why God had decided to purge the earth of this race of Nephilim as a result of Satan poisoning the pure blood line of Adam’s original pedigree lineage. With the exception of Noah and his family, it appears that the entire race at that time may have entirely become a mixture of fallen angels and men, having produced giants. God choose representative pairs of animals to perpetuate their species, and God chose Noah and his family to give mankind a new, clean start after the flood.
Genesis 6:12-14 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.”
Job 22:15-17 “Will you keep to the old path that evil men have trod? They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood. They said to God, ‘Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?’”
Foundations for Christian Living - 262 - God’s Blessing and Directives for Mankind after the Flood:
Genesis 9:1: The Lord also blessed Noah and restored the creation command, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” These were the same words He had spoken earlier to Adam in Genesis 1:28.
Genesis 9:2: The animals pre-flood evidently had a certain relationship with man, they had come calmly to the ark in close proximity with each other and with Noah and his family. After the flood, in order to protect mankind, God sovereignly put the fear of man into animals.
Genesis 9:3: After the flood, man’s diet changes to include the consumption of animals and animals eating other animals. Before the flood in Genesis 1:29-30, man was given fruit from trees to eat, and all the animals on the ground were given every green plant for food- they were all vegetarians, but no longer.
Genesis 9:4-6: We are instructed not to consume blood, for the life of the flesh is in the blood. Blood is sacred to God back then and today. If a person murders another person, according to God’s universal law, his/her life should be made forfeit for the life that was taken from the earth.
Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”
Leviticus 17:11 (KJV) For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
This is how God views murder, referring to people walking on the earth or in the womb- blood is spilled in both cases. In God’s eyes, abortion is murder too. God makes an everlasting covenant with all life on the earth to last throughout all generations; He will never again destroy all life on the earth by a flood. As a sign of this covenant, the presence of a rainbow appears for the first time and becomes a perpetual reminder for us and God that even though man is wicked and deserves to be wiped out, God will honor his covenant with mankind and will not destroy the earth with another flood.
Foundations for Christian Living - 263 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 264 -
Lesson Objective: We finish this series with the subject of ‘Eschatology’ which deals with the doctrine of last things. Thankfully this present world system will come to an end. Sin in this world as we know it is a temporary state. Understanding this and how God is going to wrap up this age is vital for the believer. This is the Hope that we have as Christians, finality to this chapter of human history and the misery that has plagued this earth for far too long. For the redeemed we emerge completely victorious while the unbelieving are eternally condemned. How fitting it is for our last lesson to cover the Biblical truths that describe the manner in which God brings closure to the fall of Mankind in the Garden of Eden.
Lesson Overview:
Lesson 7: End Times- The end of Adam’s lease and the ushering in of the endless age. God’s sovereign conclusion to the world as we know it:
Signs of the Times- The Hope of Glory, and concerning Adam’s lease and the end of all things The Tribulation Period- Rapture, Antichrist & False Prophet, and the Great Tribulation Second Advent- The Lord’s Second Return and Millennium Reign Judgments- The Resurrection, Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ and the Great White Throne The Endless Age- When everything is made brand new
A. Hope of Glory
Colossians 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
I have wonderful news for you, God will not allow an eternal perpetuation of this current state of affairs for this world of sin and death- 1 Corinthians 7:31, “…for this world in its present form is passing away.” What we currently see in this world will some day in the future come to a complete end. This is the hope that we have. God in His grace has given us a deposit of our inheritance to enjoy here and now on earth (Ephesians 1:13-14), but there is a whole lot more for us to enjoy in the future. Hope is always future tense, it provides us with the strength to endure, the joy to stand firm because we have this unshakable revelation- “WE WIN!!!” please read Romans 8:18-25.
Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us… for in this hope we were saved.
Foundations for Christian Living - 265 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 266 - B. Adam’s Lease
In the Scriptures we see a principle concerning a scope of time, with a beginning and an end for mankind to have stewardship over this earth. In the Garden of Eden, Genesis 1:28, God handed stewardship of His creation over to mankind, but this was not for an indefinite period of time- this time period has been referred to as Adam’s lease. Much wisdom went into God’s decision to allow Adam and his descendants to have dominion over the earth. To test their allegiance to God, development through stewardship, to enjoy relationship with God among others. As you already know, Satan robbed Adam of this dominion through deception and became the god of this world. However, there is an appointed time set by God when this too will come completely to an end!
Matthew 8:29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
Matthew 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Acts 1:6-8 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”
It is important to understand, that Satan has been completely and absolutely vanquished, the “Seed of the Woman has crushed the head of the Serpent” according to Genesis 3:15, just over 2,000 years ago. However, that was not the end of Adam’s lease. God’s timing to wrap everything up, is still for an appointed time in the future. For the time being, Satan and his hosts are permitted to operate in the earth, but they have suffered a fatal blow to their dominion that they once had before Jesus came to the earth. We currently live in what is referred to as the Dispensation of Grace. A period of time where God through the Church of Jesus Christ is presently fulfilling the Great Commission to preach His gospel throughout the world. So the sooner we get the job done of preaching the Gospel to the whole world, the sooner Jesus will return and wrap things up!
Luke 21:20, 24 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near…they will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
At present, the Kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom, located within us- Luke 17:20-21. But a time is coming when that kingdom will take on a completely physical form when Jesus personally returns to earth in order to rule and reign for 1,000 years. For the time being, our faith in God’s Word causes God’s will to be exerted in this earth and affect the affairs of men. I look forward to the future time when God’s will becomes absolute law in the world. No more political correctness and secular progressive agendas, no more Hollywood activism and open rebellion.
Foundations for Christian Living - 267 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 268 - 1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
C. The End of All things is at Hand Have you noticed how the world mocks those whom they call ‘Doomsday Prophets’ with signs depicting God’s impending judgment. Well, what the world has subconsciously dreaded will come upon them and in a manner and intensity beyond their wildest dreams.
2 Peter 3:3-7 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Matthew 16:2-4 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”
For Christians, it’s not a matter of ‘if’ but rather a matter of ‘when’ the end will come. We don’t know when the Tribulation Period begins. We had mentioned one prerequisite already, the preaching of the gospel to the whole world must be finished before Jesus returns. According to Ephesians 5:27, Jesus is coming back for, “a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Anyone predicting the day of His return is in error, Jesus Himself does not even know.
Matthew 24:36-39 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3- Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
In Daniel chapter 9 beginning with verse 20, there is a profound reference made concerning a timetable for the end of the world. It is referred to as Daniel’s 70 weeks. It was revealed to him by the Archangel Gabriel, that ‘Seventy Sevens’ or in other translations ‘Seventy Weeks” were decreed for the people of Israel to end all things for the world. Each week is equivalent to 7 years, so this amounts to 70 x 7 years = 490 years. According to Daniel 9:25, this prophetic clock began ticking when the decree was made while Israel was in captivity- for them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it. The first decree was made by the Persian King Cyrus in 538 B.C. in Ezra 1:1-2; Isaiah 44:28; 45:13. But it was not until 444 B.C. Persian King Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem- Nehemiah 2:1-9. Foundations for Christian Living - 269 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 270 - Daniel 9:24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.”
- Jeremiah prophesied that Israel would be in captivity for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:1-12; 32; Daniel 9:1-2) - 458-444 B.C. Persian King Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-9) - “Seven Sevens” or 49 years transpire while Jerusalem is rebuilt- with streets and a trench in trouble - “Sixty-Two Sevens” or 434 addition years are added to the previous 49 years until Jesus’ crucifixion - “The Anointed one cut off” refers to the crucifixion of Jesus around 30 A.D. - “Destruction of the city and sanctuary” occurs in 70 A.D. by the Roman general Titus - Church Age or Dispensation of Grace- this mystery has been in effect for 2,000 years and counting - The future Tribulation Period and the Anti-Christ = one ‘seven’ = 7 years
From the issuing of King Artaxerxes’s decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the crucifixion of Jesus, 483 years had transpired. God stopped the prophetic clock leaving just 7 years left to be fulfilled by Israel. Note that Jesus made reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD in Luke 19:41-44. In Daniel 9:26, it would be sixty-two weeks or 434 years from the time Jerusalem was rebuilt until Jesus was crucified. The rest of the verse refers to the destruction of Jerusalem. A reference to war continuing for an unspecified amount of time until the 7 year tribulation period and the 2nd Advent.
Daniel 9:25-26 Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.
So far it has been around 2,000 years and counting since the destruction of Jerusalem and the great dispersion of the Jews until recently. In 1948 Israel had become a nation once again. This event is prophetically huge in our study of the end times. It shows that the stage is being set for the Church Age to end and for Daniel’s last 7 years to begin. For Israel to take center stage again as the focus of bringing an end to the world as we now know it. Please read Ephesians 3:1 –11; Colossians 1:25- 27 to gain more insight into the ‘Mystery’ interruption of the Church Age that God had kept secret in the Old Testament. This is why the Jews were confused concerning Jesus at the time, not bringing an end to the world. According to Daniel’s prophetic clock, the world was to end- John 12:34; Acts 1:6.
The ‘he’ is referring to the Anti-Christ in Daniel 9:27, we will discuss him in more detail later. This man will make a peace agreement with Israel, but will break it in the middle of it. At the end of the seven years, Jesus returns physically to the earth to rule and reign for 1,000 years!
Daniel 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”
Overall there was 490 years decreed for Israel until the end of the world The prophetic clock stopped at 7 years shy of 490 years when Jesus was crucified The 7 years left on the prophetic clock represents the Tribulation period and Jesus’ return Foundations for Christian Living - 271 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 272 -
A. The Rapture
The word ‘Rapture’ does not appear in the Bible, but it represents an event when at a certain time in the future something very wonderful and awe inspiring will take place. In the Church today there are three points of view as to when this event will occur- pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post- tribulation period. For the record, I will be presenting the pre-tribulation point of view. The Bible teaches that two things will happen at the coming of the Lord: Get Ready for Glorified Bodies!!!
The Dead in Christ Rise First: Those who are in heaven, who have already died, return with Jesus and receive their former bodies that are in the grave, raised back to life as brand new glorified bodies. We who Remain: Speaking of those born again believers who are alive physically at the coming of the Lord- they won’t taste of death. Their bodies are transformed instantly into glorified bodies and are caught up into the clouds and return to heaven with Jesus and the saints who had died formerly.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
What is a glorified body going to be like? Great question. In a nutshell, our new glorified bodies will be just like the Lord’s. We will have our former physical body with no blood in it or the sinful nature like it has now. It will not be limited by time or space, in other words like Jesus we will be able to walk through walls, fly in the sky with no limitations- a new body that will never die again. For the full details Please Read: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:1-9; Luke 20:35-38!
Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
Luke 24:37-39 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Foundations for Christian Living - 273 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 274 - Consider Enoch in Genesis 5:22; Hebrews 11:5 and Elijah 2 Kings 2:11-12-a type of the rapture. What is important to remember for the Christian, is that the Rapture creates in us a sense of urgency to fulfill the Great Commission, to live holy and to be ever watchful and ready. I highlighted in the two passages below, “The Day of the Lord” which make reference to the second coming of the Lord. The reference in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, “The Coming of the Lord” depicts the “Rapture” event just prior to the unveiling of the antichrist to the world. The timing in which God removes the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ from the earth just prior to the Great Tribulation is significant for three reasons:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, 9-11 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2- Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
First: In 1 Thessalonians 5:9, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath” makes reference to God’s justice in not condemning the righteous with the wicked. During the Great Tribulation Period God pours out his wrath upon the wicked- Revelation 19:2. Consider the conversation between God and Abraham concerning Sodom and Gomorrah. Many will die during God’s judgments!
Genesis 18:23, 25 NKJV Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
1 Thessalonians 1:10- …Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
Revelation 3:10- Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
Second: The Scripture below can be interpreted as the “Church of Jesus Christ”. It can’t refer to the Holy Spirit since He will be in earth facilitating the salvation of multitudes during the Tribulation Period- Revelation 7:14. Jesus referred to us as the “Light and Salt” of the earth- Matthew 5:13-14. Salt speaks of a preserving agent, and light dispels or repels darkness and reveals. When the Church is raptured out of the earth, it is left to rot and plunge into darkness. Currently the prayers of the Church restrain evil from absolutely consuming the earth (1 Timothy 2:1-4), when we are taken away, the antichrist will be revealed and will do as he pleases without the Church around to shut him down.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8- For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. Foundations for Christian Living - 275 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 276 - Third: For Daniel’s 70th week to be completed with Israel at center stage, the Church needs to be taken out of the way. God still has plans for Israel, God raises up 144,000 Jewish servants of God in Revelation 7:1-8. Until the destruction of Israel in 70AD and the great dispersion of the Jewish nation, Israel was God’s beacon of salvation for the earth. The baton was passed to the Church of Jesus Christ, and for the last 2,000 years or so we have been fulfilling the Great Commission to herald the eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ- Matthew 21:33- 46. Once again the baton will be passed back to Israel for one last chance at redemption, to finish Daniel’s 70th week with a bang, but the Church will not be here on earth to see it, we will be in heaven watching from the grandstands. Please read all of Romans 11:25-32
Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
B. The Antichrist & False Prophet
He goes by a few names, ‘Son of Perdition’, ‘Man of Sin’, ‘The Wicked One’, ‘The Beast’; however his name, “Antichrist’ simply means, “The one against Christ, God’s anointed.” The spirit of the antichrist is the essence of Satan’s rebellion in the earth- also known as the ‘secret power of lawlessness’. All this evil will be embodied in one man, who will be totally possessed of Satan for a grand show of rebellion on a scale never seen before.
1 John 2:18-19, 2:22 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist — he denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 4:3 But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
The last verse refers to the ‘lie’ that the antichrist will present to the world as an explanation for the rapture. Think of it, millions of people all of a sudden disappearing from the earth. Was it an alien abduction? Sure, the Bible already calls us aliens and strangers in this world- 1 Peter 2:11.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. Foundations for Christian Living - 277 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 278 - The antichrist is depicted as coming from the ‘sea’ which is symbolic of the Gentile nations. While the false prophet is seen as coming from the ‘earth’ which is symbolic of Israel.
Revelation 13:1-2, 11-14 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
Initially the antichrist will come as a peace maker, to put an end to all the strife in the Middle East. He will have the perfect solution to finally usher in a new age, a utopia of peace and safety in a seven year peace pact with Israel. Apparently there is a restoration of the Old Testament Temple in Jerusalem in the new deal and a re-institution of temple sacrifices as of old. However, half way into the seven years, the antichrist’s true colors show. The false prophet sets up an idol, an image of the antichrist in the new temple. In other words the antichrist is attempting to abolish all religion and setup a one world religion with himself at the center. Anyone failing to worship him and take the mark of the beast will be put to death.
Daniel 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”
Revelation 13:15-18 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
I have only a limited scope to cover this subject, so we will jump to their demise. At the Second Advent of Jesus, there will be a final battle called the “Battle of Armageddon” in the valley of Megiddo in northern Israel- Revelation 16:16, “Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.” The antichrist and his armies will assemble in order to deal a final destructive blow on Israel, but Jesus returns with the armies of heaven and destroys them all. The antichrist and the false prophet are honored with being the first ones cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 19:19-21 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Foundations for Christian Living - 279 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 280 - C. The Great Tribulation Period
In Mathew Chapter 24, Jesus is asked by His disciples concerning the end of this age. It is important to note that Jesus at that moment of time was living under the Old Testament Period. His description of the end times was in relation to what the Jewish nation was going to experience during the Great Tribulation. With the exception of verses 4-14, Jesus was not talking to the Church. From verse 15 through the end of Matthew chapter 25 Jesus was covering the 7-year Tribulation period up to His Second Return. Let’s now cover the principle events of the Great Tribulation.
1- The removal of the Church as the restrainer of evil- 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 7-8. 2- Restoration of the daily sacrifice in the rebuilt temple by covenant with the antichrist- Daniel 9:27.
3- Outpouring of judgments resulting from the opening of the seven seals- Revelation 6; 8:1 4- Seven trumpets releasing additional judgments on the earth- Revelation 8:2-9:21; 11:15-19 5- The taking away of the daily sacrifice by the antichrist, and the setting up of the abomination of desolation, an idol of the antichrist- Daniel 9:27; 12:10-11; Matthew 24:15. This will happen in the middle of the seven years, which are divided into two parts of three and one half years- Revelation 11:2-3; Daniel 9:27, 12:11; Revelation 12:14. The latter half is considered to be the “Great Tribulation.”
6- Increased persecution for Israel in Revelation chapter 12; 144,000 Jews from the twelve tribes are sealed in Revelation 7:1-8. Out of this period will emerge an innumerable company of Tribulation saints, from all nations, converted during the Tribulation are taken to heaven in Revelation 7:9-17.
7- Total control by the Beast and the False Prophet; the introduction of the mark of the Beast and his number, with compulsory worship of the Beast’s image- Revelation chapter 13.
8- The judgments resulting from the outpouring of the seven bowls of wrath- Rev. 15 & 16. 9- Judgment upon the Harlot, “Mystery Babylon” in Revelation chapters 17 & 18, who probably represents all false religions of the world. After the Rapture of the true Church (all those born again believers in Jesus Christ), organized religion, in 2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness but denying its power” will become increasingly corrupt, even aligning herself with the Beast’s government.
10- Celebration of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to the Bride (Christians) in Rev.19:6-9. 11- Gathering of the kings of the East and armies of the antichrist (Beast) to make war with the remnant of Israel, resulting in the Battle of Armageddon- Revelation 12:17, 16:12-16.
12- Christ returns with His armies of saints to confront the Beast and his armies, and the Beast’s armies are completely destroyed by the brightness of the Lord Jesus Christ’s coming- Revelation 19:14-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:8.
13- The Beast and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire- Revelation 19:20 14- Satan is cast into the Bottomless Pit(the abyss) for one thousand years- Revelation 20:1-3
It is important to point out that we will be in heaven during this time enjoying the marriage supper of the Lamb where we, the Bride of Christ, all the saints will be united with Jesus forever- Ephesians 5:22-33, “… this is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Foundations for Christian Living - 281 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 282 -
Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
If the importance of a Bible subject can be judged by the frequency of references to it, then the Second Coming of Christ is indeed a subject of primary importance. Christ’s coming is mentioned more than 300 times in the New Testament; that means that it is mentioned on the average of once in every twenty-five verses. In Paul’s epistles there are more than 50 references to the Second Advent. It has been said that there are eight times more references concerning the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ than there are those that concern His First Coming. The Old Testament has more reference to Christ’s Second Coming than to His First.
Biblical Hope is an eager and confident expectation of a future event that will come to pass- it’s not a wishy-washy worldly version of what might come to pass, or it would sure be nice if it did. Hope from God’s Word is a spiritual force that provides us with the motivation, supernatural endurance and perseverance to hold fast to our faith in God- 2 Timothy 2:10!
1 John 3:2-3 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
A. Jesus Returns The Second Coming of Christ is a LITERAL coming or return in His physical glorified body. Since the Coming is a SECOND ONE, it will be as literal as the First Coming- Luke 21:27-28.
Acts 1:10-11 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
As we don’t know the day or hour when Jesus will come to rapture His Church from the earth, so it is with the Second Advent. However, since we know it will be at the end of the seven year Tribulation Period, the approximate timing of Christ’s Second Return can be predicted more accurately in a general sense. Next I would like to provide an overview of Matthew Chapter 24 where Jesus provides insight into events that will lead up to His Second Advent- a similar account in Mark chapter 13.
24:1-2- Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem which took place at the hand of the Romans in 70AD and resulted in the great dispersion of the Jews throughout the nations. Foundations for Christian Living - 283 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 284 - Now concerning the end of the age, the disciples asked Jesus what events will lead up to His Second Coming in Matthew 24:3. This next block of Scripture depicts some graphic details concerning the dispensation of Grace that we live in today. Scriptures like 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-9 provide additional insight into what life and people will be like during the times we live in today!
verse 4-5- Satan will cause counterfeit religions and saviors to be raised, even some claiming to be Jesus Himself- causing confusion and deception. Consider Islam and modern cults today like Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons to name a few.
verse 6-8- Jesus foretells of wars and rumors of wars, ‘Nation will rise against Nation’ much blood would be shed upon the earth. Just look at the 20th Century alone, all the millions of lives lost to wars- so much pain and suffering. There would be many famines and earthquakes in various places. All these things are just the birth pains of the Big Event- the coming Tribulation Period!
verse 9-14- The Lord warns us that there will be much persecution and hardships for Christians, for Satan will try to drive us from the faith. Again, as we look over the centuries and even today, many of Christ’s followers are being attacked for their faith even to the point of death. The greatest sign of the End is the Church preaching the Gospel throughout the four corners of the earth, to every ethnic group; then the end will come according to Jesus! So let’s get His Gospel message out there- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
The rest of Matthew Chapter 24 goes into details concerning the Great Tribulation Period, the last 3 ½ years of Daniels 70th week. Remember that we as believers today will have been Raptured into heaven already at the beginning of the 7-year Tribulation period.
verse 15-20- The ‘Abomination that causes desolation’ is an idol or image of the antichrist placed in the restored temple in Jerusalem according to Daniel 9:27 and Revelation 13:14-18. Multitudes will be forced to worship it or face death.
verse 21-22- Jesus warned that when this idol is set up, it would mark the start of the Great Tribulation Period and God’s greatest judgments would be poured out upon the earth. So extreme will be the bloodshed that if those days were not shortened, no one would survive. In the midst of this chaos, many folks will become saved, known as Tribulation saints-Rev. 7:14
verse 23-25- Even during the Church Age, there will be false Christs and false prophets, even performing miracles to deceive even the elect if that were possible- Revelation 13:11-15.
verse 26-31- Here we gain some insight into the manner in which Jesus returns; as a sign in the sky. Jesus will return to the earth from the atmosphere above, like lightning flashing across the sky- AWESOME! All the nations will mourn, because up to that point they were at the peak of their rebellion against Christ. At that time Jesus sends his angels to gather the surviving Christians who were not martyred unto Himself- 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10!
verse 32-35- Jesus uses the Fig tree as a lesson, pointing out that summer is near, when you see leaves beginning to appear. In the proceeding verses in Matthew chapter 24, Jesus had provided a time-line of events leading up to His Second Return. These sign posts give us a sense of timing when the next event will occur. The Tribulation Period is only 7 years long, so there will be a tremendous sense of finality after the Church is raptured- exactly as Jesus had foretold it will be! Foundations for Christian Living - 285 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 286 - The Day and Hour of the Lord’s Second Advent is not known, even to Jesus Himself. It will totally take folks by surprise as the flood did in the days of Noah and the Ark. Remember in these verses, Jesus is speaking specifically to those Christians alive during the Tribulation Period as it refers to His Second Coming. However, as for Christians before the Tribulation Period, as it pertains to the Rapture, we also do not know the Day or Hour either.
verse 36-41- The Day of the Lord will totally take these folks by surprise as the flood did in the day of Noah and the Ark- 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
From Matthew chapter 24 verse 42 through Matthew chapter 25 speaks of living in a state of readiness, not knowing the Day or Hour of His return. It also makes important references to accountability and judgment and rewards in regards to faithful service to the Lord.
Matthew 24:45-51- The Parable of the Wise Steward speaks of the principle of doing the Lord’s business right up until His return. It would do us no good to live for God half of our lives and then turn on Him the latter half. What counts is living for Him 24/7 until the day we fall asleep, are raptured or for those alive until His Second Advent.
Matthew 25:1-13- The Parable of the Ten Virgins reinforces the principle of keeping watch and living in a state of readiness because we do not know the day or hour. I think God kept this information from everyone for many reasons. Knowing human nature, God knows if we knew the Day of Christ’s return, the temptation would be for us live wild up to the day of His return and then repent and do right just before He returns- perhaps not if we were hardened by sins deceitfulness.
Matthew 25:14-30- The Parable of the Talents addresses the aspect of stewardship, judgment and reward. We have all been given God’s grace to serve the Lord in the Body of Christ and preach the gospel to the world. The degree of faithfulness to this call will determine the degree of reward. Those who reject God’s call for salvation are lost; even though many are called unto salvation, many reject it- 1 Timothy 2:4; Matthew 22:14 NKJV, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 25:31-46- The parable of the Sheep and the Goats is in context with Jesus referring to the Tribulation Period. When Jesus returns He will judge nations in how they treated His persecuted Tribulation Saints. We gain insight into the many hardships of Christians under the rule of the antichrist. This parable has nothing to do with the Judgment Seat of Christ or how believers are evaluated by the Lord. Those Christians who survive the Tribulation period enter into the Millennial rule of Jesus while the rest (Non-Christians) are put to death.
Concerning the Second Advent, when Israel is at the brink of destruction by the armies of the antichrist at the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 16:16 it seems that the Jewish nation will at last recognize Jesus as their Messiah and call on Him for help according to Luke 13:35. Jesus returns to earth with the armies of heaven according to Revelation 19:11-21 and brings things to an end.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
Luke 13:35 - “I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Foundations for Christian Living - 287 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 288 - Finally, I want to point out how Jesus deals with all the unbelievers upon His Second return. According to Matthew 24:28 Jesus said, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” All those who are not born again at the return of Jesus are put to death by the sword that comes out of His mouth according to Revelation 19:21. Only those who become saved and remain alive during the Tribulation Period will be permitted to enter into the Millennial Reign of Jesus as regular, natural people- Please Read Zechariah 14:1-15.
Revelation 19:17-18 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.”
Revelation 19:21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Jesus gave a parable of the weeds in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43. The weeds are unbelievers, all those who reject or ignore Jesus as their Lord and Savior- Hebrews 2:3. Those to whom it is referred as ‘One will be taken’ are those unsaved folks who are put to death and sent to hell at His Return. Jesus first came as a Lamb when He died on the cross, but returns as a Lion to rule in righteousness!
Matthew 24:40-41 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 13:39-43 The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
B. The Millennial Reign
The word “millennium” is not found in the Bible; however, the thousand year period of Christ’s rule over the earth is mentioned six times in the twentieth chapter of Revelation. The word “millennium” is derived from Latin words which simply means “thousand years.” The Millennium will be a period during which Satan will be bound in the Abyss or bottomless pit. The binding of Satan prepares the earth for the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, who comes to earth, as described in Revelation chapter nineteen, as King of kings and Lord of lords- verse 15-16. The resurrected Church saints together with the Tribulation saints will reign with Christ in His Millennial Kingdom- Revelation 19:7-10, 14; 20:4, 6.
Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. Foundations for Christian Living - 289 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 290 - Among the millennial family of nations, Israel will occupy the central place- Dt. 32:8-10. It was revealed to Mary in Luke 1:32-33, by the angel Gabriel, that Jesus was destined, as the promised Messiah, to reign upon the throne of David. Jerusalem will become the capital of the world where Jesus Himself will rule and reign. The twelve Apostles of the Lamb will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel while the glorified saints will be working for Jesus in His kingdom over the nations-Rev. 5:9-10; 20:6. There will be glorified saints from the Church Age and the Tribulation Period (those martyred). The Tribulations saints who did not die will continue living in mortal bodies, pursuing earthly occupations, bearing children and so replenish the earth from all the millions who had died.
Matthew 19:28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Revelation 2:26-28 “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’- just as I have received authority from my Father.”
There will be universal peace, justice and holiness because of the Sovereign Rule of Christ, but there will not be absolute perfection in the earthly inhabitants- Isaiah chapter 11; 64:20-25. Children born during the Millennial reign will have an incredible exposure to glorified saints flying around sharing with them the wonders of heaven and revelation truths from God’s Word. Of course Jesus will be ruling and reigning the earth. However, these folks still have a free will to choose or reject God- Zechariah 14:16-19. Some will commit crimes and be punished and put to death.
Isaiah 65:20 Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
Isaiah 11:6-9 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
1. Christ’s Millennial Reign will be characterized by universal justice and righteousness- Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah 11:3-5; 52:1, 16; Psalm 72:1-8. 2. All the earth will be under the righteous discipline of King Jesus- the perfect theocracy. All who disobey Him will be punished- Zechariah 14:16-21. 3. There will be peace among all the nations- Psalm 72; Isaiah 2:4; 9:5-6; 32:1, 17-18; Micah 5:4-5. 4. There will be happiness and joy in His kingdom- Isaiah 9:2-4; 25:6-9; 35:10. 5. People will enjoy health and longevity- Isaiah 35:5-6; 65:20-22. 6. There will be great prosperity- Psalm 72:15-16; Amos 9:13-15; Zechariah 3:10; 8:12. 7. The earth will be freed from the curse (Romans 8:19-22; Isaiah 55:13; 41:18-19). With the removal of the curse, wild animals will lose their ferocity- Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25; Ezekiel 34:25, 28; Hosea 2:18. Foundations for Christian Living - 291 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 292 - At the end the Lord’s Millennial reign, Satan is allowed out of his prison for one last desperate, fleeting, and futile attempt to rebel against the Most High God. It is so amazing to me with Jesus having reigned for a thousand years that anybody would bother giving Satan the time of day to join him in his little last coup. However, according to the Scriptures the number of those who join him are in number like the sand on the sea shore. This army marches on Jerusalem, but the fire of God consumes them all and Satan is finally, at last and about time, cast into the Lake of Fire where he will be tormented day and night for all eternity.
Revelation 20:7-10 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
At the end of the Millennium reign, God’s plan of redemption is all but complete; with Satan finally dealt with, death and hell cast into the lake of fire along with everyone else whose names are not found in the Book of Life at the Great White Throne of Judgment- in Revelation 20:11-15. Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having dealt with all rebellion since Satan’s original fall and the fall of man. Everything is finally put back in place and restored.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
In recap, the Tribulation period is for 7 years, with the last 3½ of those years being the Great Tribulation, concluded by the Battle of Armageddon and the Revelation of Jesus as King of kings. He will come with His armies of saints and angels to bring judgment upon the “beast” and his followers- Revelation 19:11-21. The Great Tribulation is followed by the Millennial Reign of Christ for 1,000 years, the Final Judgment, and the Endless Age.
The Rapture The Tribulation The Final Coming of Christ as King The Millennial Reign of Christ on Earth The Eternal State of a New Heaven and a New Earth
Foundations for Christian Living - 293 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 294 -
Acts 24:15-16, I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
A. The Resurrection There is a Biblical doctrine in Hebrews 6:2 called the, “Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgment.” The Resurrection will be universal. All do not have eternal life, but all have eternal existence. All persons will be resurrected, the just and the unjust; all will be raised but not at the same time. The Bible does not teach reincarnation according to Hebrews 9:27, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”
Enoch and Elijah were taken up into heaven without experiencing death- Genesis 5:22; Hebrews 11:5 and Elijah in 2 Kings 2:11-12 Jesus as the firstfruits, the first born from the dead as a pattern of what is to come- Luke 4:7; John 2:19-22; Acts 4:10; 13:37; 1 Corinthians 15:23 Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:15-18 Old Testament Saints taken into heaven after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead in spirit form- Ephesians 4:7-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22 Rapture of All Saints- Those who had died and those still living at the return of Jesus receive glorified bodies- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 The resurrection of the two witnesses of Revelation 11:12 during the Tribulation Period Referred to as the “First Resurrection” of the Tribulation Saints at the beginning of the Millennium receive their glorified bodies- Revelation 20:4-6 The last resurrection will be of the unrighteous dead when they stand before the Great White Throne in their former bodies- Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:5, 11-13
In John 6:39-40, 44, 54; 11:24 the reference to the “Last Day” speaks of a future resurrection, a physical reconstruction of the bodies we have now, restored to perfection. Even the ungodly will be reunited with their former bodies when they stand in judgment before the Great White Throne for judgment.
John 5:28-30, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out — those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”
More References: Job 19:25 NKJV; Psalm 17:15; 16:9-11; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 22:30-32; John 5:21; Luke 14:13-14; 20:35-38; Acts 23:6-8, 26:8,23; 1 Cor. 15:42-43; 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Peter 1:3
Without the revelation of the “Resurrection” meaning in life would be pointless. Our existence would be no better than the animals, to live and die and to be no more- 1 Corinthians 15:32, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Worse than that, we would still be lost in our sins if Jesus was not raised from the dead- 1 Corinthians 15:12-23. However, Jesus was raised from the dead and God has created us to live forever, the question is where will we spend eternity; this question is answered by what we do with Jesus- Matthew 27:22; John 3:36; Hebrews 2:3.
Foundations for Christian Living - 295 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 296 - B. The Judgment Seat of Christ All men, whether saint or sinner will stand in judgment for a life lived on this earth before God, the big difference between the two judgments is the end results. God’s holiness requires that all sin be punished and every soul be held accountable. The first judgment occurred at the Cross where all the sins of the world were laid upon Jesus who took the wrath of God as our substitute for sin- John 1:29; 12:31-32; 16:7-11. In Isaiah chapter 53 we see a graphic portrayal of Christ’s sufferings for our redemption. In all accounts God’s justice and holiness was satisfied by Christ’s atoning work.
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Since Jesus paid for our sins, why do we still have to be judged? As believers we must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, not to account for sin, but to account for faithfulness and obedience to God’s Word and call on our lives on earth. We are admonished by the Scriptures to repent of disobedience and judge ourselves continually, this will help in this life and at the Judgment seat of Christ- 1 Corinthians 11:31-32, “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” We should always be quick to forgive, quick to repent and quick to obey God’s Word. Then we can have confidence to stand before the King of kings and the Lord of lords- 1 John 4:17.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
The believer’s judgment before the Judgment Seat of Christ is not a judgment of condemnation for sin, but the determining of rewards and rebukes for falling short- 1 Corinthians 4:5! When we consider the parable of the Minas in Luke 19:11-27, it speaks clearly of stewardship, accountability and reward- what we did with salvation that we all received. The parable of the talents however, refers to 1 Peter 4:10 it tells us to use the gifts of God’s grace faithfully in this life, different from the Minas Jesus talked about. The parable speaks of when Jesus returns as King of kings to rule on this earth and hold His servants accountable. Sometime during the Tribulation Period, while we are in heaven we will all stand before Jesus for this judgment. Each believer according to their faithfulness is rewarded. To whom much has been given much more is required- Luke 12:42-48. What we do in this life will determine the rewards we will have not only for eternity but also the position we serve during the Lord’s Millennial Reign- 10 cities, 5 cities or not much of anything, the choice is ours!
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Our life and service as believers is built upon the foundation of Christ Jesus. We must answer before Christ’s tribunal (the Bema Judgment) to have our works tested as a basis for reward. The quality of our works is revealed with fire- the motive of our heart, willingness to faithfully obey the Lord. Worst case scenario, one lives his/her entire Christian life selfishly and receives no rewards but is still saved. God’s will is that each of us receive the maximum rewards (2 Timothy 4:7-8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; 1 John 2:28; 2 John 8; Revelation 3:11) but that is up to each of us to determine! Foundations for Christian Living - 297 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 298 - C. The Great White Throne
Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
All those who reject or ignore God’s provision of salvation through Jesus Christ, must give an account before God for every word and action, every thought and motive of the heart. All is laid bare, everything has been recorded, all the events of human life have been written down on books, nothing is missing- Malachi 3:13-18. All those who die in their sins, must now pay for those sins even though Jesus had paid for their sins already. Rejecting or ignoring Jesus is what sends people to eternal fire, but that was never God’s will- Matthew 25:41; John 6:8-11; 12:48-49 ; 1 Timothy 2:4.
John 8:23-24 But Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins.”
John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
Matthew 12:36-37 “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Lake of Fire is the Second Death, this is the eternal abode of the spiritually lost. Hell, which right now is in the center of the earth (Matthew 12:40) functions as a jail or a temporary holding tank until they face the Judge of the Universe. The Lake of Fire is where the unrighteous dead are sentenced to serve out their term for all eternity in a state of endless torment- Revelation 14:10. Finally, death and hell itself are also cast in the Lake of Fire. The Scriptures do not disclose the location of the Lake of Fire. When it’s all said and done, God will have dealt with all evil and rebellion once and for all.
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment, while continuing their punishment.
Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 299 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 300 -
The icing on the cake, if you will, is when God re-creates the earth, vaporizing all traces of sin and death that has scourged the earth for so long. This amounts to a global sanitization and sterilization of all traces of death to the smallest particle/atom. We are talking about a New Heaven and a New Earth.
2 Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
Words cannot describe even now how wonderful it will be when the ‘Old Order” of things pass away, no more crying and no more pain. What has happened during our time will become a distant memory in the eons of time. Interesting that there will be no more oceans or seas. Planet earth becomes the new throne of God, the new heaven if you will, the capital of God’s universe. The New Jerusalem described in Revelation chapter 21 will be a sight to see- measuring 1,400 miles square. The city has twelve gates, each gate made of a single pearl and twelve foundations. The wall is made of jasper and the city itself is made out of pure gold like transparent glass. There will be no more night, no need for the sun or moon, for the glory of the Lord will be its light.
Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
For a long time I have mused in my heart about what God has in store with the universe; our age can’t be the end, surely God has not finished creating yet. Whatever unimaginable plans God has for eternity future, as children of God we get to share it with Almighty God- God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We get to enjoy each other’s company and never exhaust the wonders of discovering new revelations of God for all eternity- Come Lord Jesus, COME !!!
Revelation 22:12-15 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”
Revelation 22:17- The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Foundations for Christian Living - 301 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 302 - Lesson 7 Review:
In Colossians 1:27 what is meant by “Christ in you the hope of glory” as it pertains to the end times?
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Knowing that the “Rapture” of the Church could take place at any moment, how does that affect us?
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What differences will there be during the Lord’s Millennial rule compared to what we see in today’s politics? ______
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Why is it important for us to understand about the “Resurrection?”
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List some of the criteria that the Lord will look at when He evaluates our life at the Judgment Seat of Christ? ______
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Using your imagination, what do you think God plans on doing during all eternity?
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Foundations for Christian Living - 303 - Study Notes:
Foundations for Christian Living - 304 - Bonus Material: Seals, Trumpets & Bowls
A Scroll with Seven Seals: Revelation 5 - Jesus is worthy as the Lamb of God to take the scroll and to open its seals
1st Seal: A White Horse Revelation 6:2- I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest
2nd Seal: Fiery Red Horse Revelation 6:4- Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
3rd Seal: Black Horse Revelation 6:5-6 Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
4th Seal: Pale Horse Revelation 6:8 Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
5th Seal: Martyrs under the Altar Revelation 6:9-11 I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
6th Seal: An Earthquake Revelation 6:12-17 The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
7th Seal: Silence in Heaven for ½ hour Revelation 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Foundations for Christian Living - 305 - Seven Angels with Seven Trumpets: 1st Trumpet: Revelation 8:7 There came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
2nd Trumpet: Revelation 8:8-9 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
3rd Trumpet: Revelation 8:10-11 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
4th Trumpet: Revelation 8:12- The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
5th Trumpet: Revelation 9:1-6, 11 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon [A destroying Angel].
6th Trumpet: Revelation 9:13-16 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
7th Trumpet: Revelation 10:7; 11:15 “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”
Foundations for Christian Living - 306 - Seven Angels with Seven Bowls: Revelation 15:1 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues — last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.
1st Bowl: Revelation 16:2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
2nd Bowl: Revelation 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
3rd Bowl: Revelation 16:4-5 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
4th Bowl: Revelation 16:8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire.
5th Bowl: Revelation 16:10-11 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony.
6th Bowl: Revelation 16:12-16 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
7th Bowl: Revelation 16:17-21 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Foundations for Christian Living - 307 - Why These Judgments: Mark 13:19-20 Because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now — and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them
Revelation 6:10-11- Blood of the Martyrs Avenged They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
Revelation 16:5-7 “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”
Revelation 14:8-12- Mystery Babylon - World System & False Religion A second angel followed and said, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
Ungodly Men Still Refused to Repent Revelation 9:20-21 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood — idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Revelation 16:9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
Revelation 16:10-11 Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
Revelation 16:21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Foundations for Christian Living - 308 - Parable of the Tenants- Taken and given to another- Matthew 21:33-46
Wedding Supper of the Lamb Revelation 19:6-9 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
The Battle of Armageddon- Revelation 19:11-21
Second Advent Matthew 24:36-41 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Parable of the Weeds and things- Matthew 13:24, 36-51
Luke 17:26-37 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” “Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”
10 Minas- Luke 19:11- Be in charge of 10 cities
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Foundations for Christian Living - 311 - Study Notes:
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